Ghana’s Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has called on African Heads of State and Governments to urgently address the growing challenge of statelessness on the continent.
This call came during the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), held in Banjul, The Gambia.
The session, held under the theme “Human Rights as an Imperative for People-Centered Sustainable Development in Africa,” highlighted several human rights concerns, including the right to health, justice, and inclusivity in development.
Ghana’s delegation emphasized the need to protect vulnerable groups—especially persons with disabilities, refugees, women, and children—and urged member states to ensure access to healthcare and fair justice systems.
A key concern raised by Ghana’s delegation was the plight of some Ghanaians living in a community called Ghana Town in The Gambia.
These individuals say they were granted citizenship by former Gambian President Yaya Jammeh but now face statelessness after the current administration refused to renew their documents. Without recognition from either Ghana or The Gambia, they are left in legal limbo.
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The delegation urged Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the matter and called for Ghana to ratify the African protocol on the right to nationality and the eradication of statelessness.
The Committee also expressed gratitude to Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Bagbin, for his role in establishing the Human Rights Committee, and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding human rights across Africa.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com
