The programme, introduced in 2016, allows individuals who can demonstrate ancestral ties to Africa to apply for Ghanaian citizenship.
The Ghanaian government has temporarily suspended citizenship applications for people of African descent as the government moves to review and reform a process that has been widely criticised for being costly, complex and difficult to complete.
The programme, introduced in 2016, allows individuals who can demonstrate ancestral ties to Africa to apply for Ghanaian citizenship.
It was designed primarily for descendants of Africans displaced during the transatlantic slave trade and later became a central pillar of Ghana’s broader outreach to the global African diaspora.
The initiative gained international attention during Ghana’s 2019 “Year of Return,” which marked 400 years since the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in the Americas.
The campaign drew thousands of visitors, particularly from the United States and the Caribbean, and positioned Ghana as a symbolic homeland for people of African descent seeking reconnection.
Since the launch of the citizenship-by-descent pathway, more than 1,000 people have reportedly obtained Ghanaian nationality, including renowned African American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder.
However, despite its symbolic significance, the application process has been plagued by complaints from prospective applicants.
Many have cited stringent documentation requirements, short submission deadlines and high financial costs as major obstacles.
Dr Erieka Bennet, ambassador for the Diaspora African Forum, an organisation that supports Africans in the diaspora who wish to relocate to the continent, said the process has proven inaccessible for many otherwise eligible applicants, according to the BBC.
Bennet said that the requirement for applicants to submit DNA evidence within a week of initiating their application was “impossible” for most people.
According to her, delays in DNA testing, international shipping and verification make the deadline unrealistic.
She also noted that some applicants have raised concerns about the reliability and interpretation of DNA results.
Bennet further criticised the one-week deadline given to applicants to submit additional supporting documents, describing it as equally difficult to meet, especially for those applying from outside Africa.
Financial cost has also emerged as a key concern, as applicants are required to pay an initial application fee of $136 (£100).
Those who are shortlisted must then pay an additional $2,280 (£1,700), a sum many critics say places the programme beyond the reach of ordinary members of the diaspora.
Successful applicants undergo a vetting process, attend a one-day citizenship orientation, and are eventually granted Ghanaian nationality at an official ceremony presided over by President John Mahama.
In announcing the suspension, Ghanaian authorities said the pause is intended to allow for a comprehensive review of the framework guiding diaspora citizenship applications.
Officials say the aim is to redesign the process to make it more transparent, affordable and user-friendly before applications are reopened.
No timeline has yet been announced for when the revised process will resume.