EFSCRJ CALLS FOR CITIZENSHIP FOR RESIDENTS OF GHANA TOWN

The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice aligns itself with members of the National Assembly who have called for the residents of Ghana Town to be accorded Gambian citizenship.

Ghana Town has existed long before independence, and generations of its residents know no home other than The Gambia. Many of them have never visited the Republic of Ghana. Their allegiance is wholly to The Gambia, and they consider themselves indigenous members of Gambian society. Yet, despite their deep historical roots and social integration, residents of Ghana Town continue to face discrimination and missed opportunities solely due to the lack of formal citizenship.

The Government of The Gambia has acknowledged the pre-independence presence of this community. This acknowledgment places a clear responsibility on the state to regularize their status. Failure to do so effectively renders these residents stateless in their own country, a situation that is contrary to both regional and international legal instruments to which The Gambia is a signatory.

The history and lived realities of the residents of Ghana Town warrant their recognition as citizens. Since the town’s inception, its residents have been law-abiding, have paid taxes, and have fully integrated into Gambian society, contributing to national development and social cohesion.

In the spirit of an ECOWAS of the people and the principles of Pan-Africanism to which The Gambia has subscribed, it behoves the government to act decisively and humanely. EFSCRJ therefore urges the Government of The Gambia to urgently facilitate the full acquisition of citizenship for the residents of Ghana Town, in the interest of justice, equality, and national unity.

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