Since the launch of Ghana’s “Year of Return” program in 2019, hundreds of African Americans have visited the country to experience the history, culture and tradition upfront.
The Year of Return is an initiative by the government of Ghana to mark 400 years since the first black slaves landed in Jamestown, Virginia.
The initiative saw an array of celebrities across the globe make their way into Ghana to explore, learn and appreciate their roots, as well as, unite with Africans on the continent. Steve Harvey, Nicole Ari Parker, Diggy Simmons, and Micheal Jai White, and Bozoma Saint John were among a host of celebrities who spent some time in Ghana following the launch of the initiative in 2019.
As part of the yearlong “Year of Return” celebrations, then-president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, granted citizenship to 126 diasporans who had been residing in the West African nation for years.
Last two months, before leaving office, Ghana’s President Akufo-Addo granted citizenship to 524 diaspora members, mostly Black Americans. Reality stars Yandy and Mendeecees Harris and activist Dr. Umar Johnson were also granted Ghanaian citizenship recently.
READ ALSO: Year of Return pumps $1.9 billion into Ghana’s economy
The November group was the largest one granted citizenship at one time since Ghana launched the “Year of the Return” program, the Associated Press reported. Ghana extended the program into “Beyond the Return” to continue its engagement with the diaspora community.
During the historic swearing-in ceremony, Akufo-Addo urged the new citizens “to bring their experiences and expertise to help develop Ghana, making it a better place for all.”
In the year 2000, Ghana became the first African country to officially open its doors to people of African descent from all over the world.
The West African country passed the “Right of Abode” law which allows any person of African descent to apply and be granted the right to stay in Ghana indefinitely.
This was followed by the launch of the Diaspora Affairs Bureau under the foreign affairs ministry in 2014 to manage the migration and engage the diaspora to provide a sustainable link with various government agencies to achieve development and investment goals.
According to government figures, at least 1,500 African Americans have moved to Ghana since 2019. That year, the West African country’s economy generated a total of $1.9 billion through activities related to the “Year of Return.”
Some of the activities that contributed to this figure included air travel, hotel accommodation, transport fares, as well as other key entertainment events.
Keachia Bowers, who is among the 524 African diasporans granted Ghanaian citizenship, relocated to Ghana from Florida in 2023 with her family. She told AP that getting citizenship is more than just living in Ghana.
“I didn’t need (citizenship) to tell me that I’m African. Anywhere that I go in the world and someone looks at me, I’m melanated,” she said.
“But my ancestors who wanted to return and come back home, those ancestors who never made it back,” she said, “that passport, for me, is for them.”
