Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has called for people of African descent around the world to have a guaranteed right to return to the continent. He has revealed that Ghana is drafting new legislation, which he will push all African nations to adopt when he assumes chairmanship of the African Union (AU).

Addressing Tuesday’s joint sitting of Jamaica’s Parliament at Gordon House during his State visit, Mahama said Africa must move beyond viewing repatriation as a humanitarian gesture and, instead, recognise it as an inherent right of people whose ancestors were forcibly removed from the continent through the transatlantic slave trade.

The proposal would build on measures Ghana has already taken to reconnect with the African Diaspora. Under Ghana’s existing Right of Abode provisions, people of African descent within the Diaspora may apply for permanent residence, allowing them to live and work indefinitely in the country without requiring a work permit, provided they meet eligibility requirements.

Mahama, however, said his Administration now intends to go further by introducing a Homeland Return Bill that would establish clearer residence and citizenship pathways for members of the global African family.

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

He explained how Ghana would also seek to elevate the issue beyond its borders by encouraging other African countries to adopt similar policies.

“That is why Ghana passed the Right of Abode Act in the year 2000, and is currently considering a new Homeland Return Bill that will codify residence and citizenship pathways for all members of the global African family. 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 declared.

The announcement marks another step in Ghana’s long-running effort to strengthen ties with the African Diaspora. In recent years, the country has positioned itself as a destination for descendants of enslaved Africans through initiatives such as the 2019 “Year of Return” campaign and its successor, “Beyond the Return”, both aimed at encouraging tourism, investment and permanent resettlement.

The existing Right of Abode framework already provides a legal route to permanent residence for qualifying members of the diaspora, while the proposed Homeland Return Bill would further formalise that approach.

Mahama linked the proposal to the wider reparatory justice movement, arguing that restoring a legal connection between Africa and its descendants overseas should be regarded as part of repairing the enduring damage caused by slavery and colonialism.

Earlier in his address he said the campaign for reparatory justice should not be driven by resentment but by a commitment to truth and reconciliation.

“We must remain steadfast in advancing the global conversation on reparatory justice. Our pursuit of reparatory justice is not motivated by resentment or hostility or a desire to revisit old wounds. It is inspired by our commitment to the truth, to accountability, to reconciliation, and to healing. It seeks recognition of historical wrongs, acknowledgement of their enduring consequences, and a collective determination to build a more just and equitable global order,” he stressed.

Mahama’s remarks build on Ghana’s expanding international advocacy for reparatory justice. Earlier this year, Ghana successfully led efforts at the United Nations General Assembly to secure the adoption of a landmark resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans as crimes against humanity. That was followed by its hosting of the Accra Next Steps Conference to determine how the international reparations campaign should advance.

During Tuesday’s address inside Gordon House, the Ghanaian president also praised Jamaica for its leadership on reparation and publicly reaffirmed his country’s backing for the Jamaican Government’s planned petition to King Charles III seeking reparatory justice for slavery.