Sierra Leone: Information on whether a child born in Ghana of a citizen of Sierra Leone (father) has the right of citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLE17030.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sierra Leone: Information on whether a child born in Ghana of a citizen of Sierra Leone (father) has the right of citizenship, 1 May 1994, SLE17030.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad1d30.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
A representative of the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC, stated that a child born in Ghana of a Sierra Leonean citizen (father) is a citizen of Sierra Leone, but only if she has not acquired Ghanaian citizenship, as Sierra Leone does not accept dual citizenship (4 May 1994). She explained that Sierra Leonean citizenship, by law is passed on to the children through the father. According to the representative, the citizenship law in Sierra Leone has not changed since the citizenship act of 1973 (ibid.). For details of this law, and how it may apply to a Sierra Leonean citizen whose daughter was born in Ghana, please refer to the attachment, which is also available on the UNHCR REFLEG database at your Regional Documentation centre.
According to the 1992 Ghana constitution, a person born in Ghana to a parent or a grandparent of Ghanaian citizenship is Ghanaian (Kludze 1993, 32). The same source states that Ghana does not recognize dual citizenship (ibid., 33). A person of dual nationality can only retain Ghanaian nationality by repudiating the other nationality upon attaining the age of 21 (ibid.).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Embassy of Sierra Leone, Washington, DC. 4 May 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
Kludze, A.K.P. 1993. "Ghana," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications.
Attachments
Sierra Leone. 24 May 1973. Sierra Leone Citizenship Act. (UNHCR REFLEG)
Kludze, A.K.P. 1993. "Ghana," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, pp. 32-35.
