University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 Chieftaincy Conflicts in Ghana: A Case Study of Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict under the Fourth Republic Boakye, Paul Acheampong Boakye, P. A. (2016). Chieftaincy Conflicts in Ghana: A Case Study of Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict under the Fourth Republic (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25316 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3209 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Chieftaincy Conflicts in Ghana: A Case Study of Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict under the Fourth Republic by Paul Acheampong Boakye A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN POLITICAL SCIENCE CALGARY, ALBERTA AUGUST, 2016 © Paul Acheampong Boakye 2016 ABSTRACT This thesis explores the factors that account for the Ga Mashie chieftaincy conflict and government‘s inability to solve it. This research finds that the imposition of colonial and post- colonial political structures with no roots in pre-colonial political offices has led to conflicting interpretations of who the rightful successor to the Ga Mashie throne is. This has generated disagreements about the customs and traditions of the Ga people with particular reference to succession; and contested versions of ancestral and hereditary rights to political office. In addition, the difficulty in resolving the Ga Mashie conflict stems from the active involvement of successive governments and other political entities for parochial political interest. These results are illustrated through interviews with key personnel with knowledge on chieftaincy in Ghana, and extensive review of the relevant academic literature. This research adds to the limited literature on Ga Mashie chieftaincy conflict and chieftaincy conflicts in southern Ghana. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thanks be to the Almighty God who has brought me this far. Indeed, ‗‘Nyame ye Nyame‖ (God is God). I extend my profound gratitude to Prof. Donald Ray, my Supervisor, for seeing me through this thesis. It was not easy but you made it look so doable and simple with those encouraging remarks each time we met. Special thanks to Dr. Joshua Goldstein, Dr. Maureen Hiebert, Dr. Roberta L. Rice and Dr. Linda Kreitzer for serving on my committee. I sincerely thank the Faculty and Staff of the Political Science Department (University of Calgary), especially those I took a course with, for the knowledge they imparted. A big hug to Judi for always being there to assist when needed. I am grateful to the Office of the Vice- President (Research) for the grant awarded me to conduct my interviews in Ghana. To my mum, Mrs. Florence Antwi; my siblings: Serwaa, Agyemang Duah, Agyiewaa and Boateng, thank you for the prayer support. To my friends, for the encouragement and proofreading, my in-laws and Church family, Salvation Army Berkshire Citadel Community, for their prayer support and words of encouragement, I say a big thank you. I will forever be grateful to my interviewees for their time and great responses during my field trip to Ghana. Thank you Mr. Emmanual Anim Danso (NPC) for the great help. Lastly, but most importantly, to my dear wife, Efua and our lovely daughter Nana Efua, for all the support I received. God bless you. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ III TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. IV LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... VI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................... VII CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION, THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGY .................... 1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statement of Problem ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Objective of Study ........................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Significance or Justification of Study ........................................................................... 6 1.5 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 7 1.6 Operational Definition of Concepts ............................................................................ 14 1.7 Research Method ........................................................................................................ 16 1.8 Limitations of the Study ............................................................................................. 25 1.9 Organization of Research ........................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 29 THE CHIEFTAINCY INSTITUTION IN GHANA ................................................................. 29 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 29 2.2 Who is a Chief? .......................................................................................................... 30 2.3 Chieftaincy and State Relations in Ghana .................................................................. 34 2.4 The Constitutional basis of Chieftaincy Rule in Ghana under the Fourth Republic .. 44 2.5 Structure of the Chieftaincy Institution under the 1992 Constitution and Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) ............................................................................................................... 45 2.6 Concluding Remarks .................................................................................................. 48 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 53 CHIEFTAINCY CONFLICTS IN GHANA ............................................................................. 53 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 53 3.2 Chieftaincy Conflicts during Colonial Rule ............................................................... 56 3.3 Chieftaincy Conflicts in post-colonial Ghana ............................................................ 66 iv 3.4 Effects of Chieftaincy Conflicts ................................................................................. 69 3.5 Conflict Resolution Mechanism in Ghana.................................................................. 71 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 76 GA MASHIE CHIEFTAINCY CONFLICT............................................................................. 76 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 76 4.2 Political structure of the Ga ........................................................................................ 81 4.3 Key Offices of the Ga political structure .................................................................... 83 4.4 Succession among the Ga people ............................................................................... 84 4.5 Ga-Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict ................................................................................. 85 4.6 Constitutional Change ................................................................................................ 93 4.7 Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict after the destoolment of Nii Taki Kome in 1962 .... 94 4.8 Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict since 2004 ............................................................... 98 4.9 Effects of the Ga Mashie Chieftaincy Conflict ........................................................ 102 4.10 Concluding Remarks ................................................................................................ 103 CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 111 CONCLUSIONS; RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES ................................................................. 111 5.1 Conclusions .............................................................................................................