Repatriation isn’t an act of kindness, it’s a right – Mahama

President John Mahama says the right of people of African descent in the diaspora to return to Africa should be treated as a legal right, not a favor.

Speaking to the Jamaican Parliament on Tuesday, August 4, during his State Visit to the Caribbean nation, President Mahama called on African countries to create clear legal pathways for members of the global African family to return and settle on the continent.

*“The rights of persons of African descent in the diaspora to return to the mother continent is not an act of charity or compassion. Repatriation is not an act of kindness,”* he said.

*“Repatriation is a right of all persons of African descent to return to the mother continent and settle or reside if they wish.”*

President Mahama cited Ghana’s efforts, noting that the country passed the Right of Abode Act in 2000 to allow eligible persons of African descent to live permanently in Ghana.

He added that government is also working on a new Homeland Return Bill, which will provide clearer processes for residence and citizenship for diasporans who want to reconnect with their ancestral home.

According to him, the bill is part of Ghana’s broader push to strengthen ties with Africans abroad.

The President also said he will push for the right of return to be adopted across Africa if he is elected Chairperson of the African Union.

*“This is one of the articles of the manifesto I wish to push when I become the AU Chairman, that all African nations must have a right of return for all members of the global African family,”* he stated.