CGI Kwame Asuah Takyi, Esq
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has cautioned foreign nationals resident in the country from attempting to acquire citizenship of Ghana using false declarations.
In a release signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the GIS, ACI Michael Amoako-Atta, the GIS stated that “the warning follows the arrest and prosecution of two foreign nationals, Nwachen Edwin Ndum aka Mensah, a Cameroonian and Samuel Sagbo, a Togolese national.”
The two, the statement explained, entered the country illegally and sought the assistance of some Ghanaians to assist them to acquire Ghanaian birth certificates and Ghana Cards to enable them to secure Ghanaian passports.
Both accused persons have been sentenced to 36 months imprisonment each with hard labour for acquiring Ghanaian birth certificates and attempting to acquire Ghana passports.
The Service, the statement noted, “has seen an increase in such offences and arrested persons have been prosecuted.”
The Service also “warned Ghanaians against assisting non-Ghanaians to obtain citizenship documents such as a birth certificate, Ghana Card or Ghana Passport.”
The practice, the GIS went on, has negative implication on national sovereignty and security, and should therefore be avoided. The Service has reiterated that persons found culpable will face full rigours of the law.
The Ghana Immigration Service remains resolute and will not compromise on its mandate in rigidly enforcing regulations on immigration, the statement added.