CID petitioned to investigate Assin North MP over dual citizenship status

The Criminal Investigation Department has been petitioned to investigate the recently sworn-in Assin North MP, James Quayeson, over dual citizenship allegations.

The petition was written by the Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, Richard Takyi, in his personal capacity.

According to the Central Regional Secretary of the NPP, the Assin North legislator, who was sworn-in despite a court injunction, should not hold himself as MP at a time he allegedly holds the citizenship of Ghana and Canada.

“Mr James Quayeson signed a Statutory Declaration under party IV of the forms. Mr Quayson appended his signature before a judicial officer that he did not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana.

“At the time when he was fully aware that as a matter of fact, he owed allegiance to Canada at that material time of making the said Statutory Declaration,”  the petition said.

Mr Takyi claimed that the Assin North MP denied holding dual citizenship when he applied for the Ghanaian passport in 2019.

“Mr Quayeson through his actions had perjured himself by lying under oath,” he added.

Based on the above controversies surrounding his citizenship, the Central Regional Secretary said it had become necessary to start an investigation into the matter.

Although the Assin North MP has been sworn-in, he still faces legal action over his dual citizenship status at the Cape Coast High Court.

Ghana’s laws bar dual citizens from holding public offices in Ghana. If found to be true, it constitutes grounds for the MP to be removed from Parliament.

Assin North dual citizenship case in court

On January 6, this year, the Cape Coast High Court granted an injunction restraining the MP-elect, James Quayeson, from being among his peers because he holds dual citizenship.

A private citizen and a resident of Assin Berekum, Micheal Ankomah, Nimfah filed a suit at the Cape Coast High Court challenging the qualification of James Quayeson as the MP-elect for the area.

The mason averred that at the time Mr Quayeson filed his nomination he was still holding onto his Canadian citizenship. He failed to denounce his citizenship as required by law.

In freezing the then MP- elect’s right to be in Parliament, the judge said: “the allegation contained is of grave nature and he could not hold himself as MP-elect.”

Also, the NDC MP-elect did not have the renunciation certificate to present before the court to confirm that he had indeed renounced his Canadian citizenship.

Although court documents showed the MP-elect received his certificate on November 26, as at the time he filed his nomination, he did not have the requisite qualification.

The judge, Kwadwo Boakye Tawiah described the process of getting the certificate as purely administrative and held that he should have obtained the certificate before filing his nomination.