The Evolution of Chieftaincy Power in Ghana’s Political Governance: From Historical Legacy to Contemporary Role

The presented research provides an up-to-date view of the institution of traditional authority - the power of chiefs, in modern Ghana. Despite the fact that their political influence has changed over the course of history, Chiefs in Ghana are still politically authoritative figures, influence the electoral process, manage tribal lands and implement local, normatively unregulated forms of community governance and legal proceedings in the role of a «justice of the peace». This role of chiefs in society raises the problem of their political inclusion in the system of governance at different levels and their status as influencers in election campaigns. In this regard, the aim of the work is to study the modern political role of chiefs in the system of socio-political relations in Ghana with an emphasis on the historical transformation of this role in the postcolonial period. To this end, the author applies a structural-functional approach to the analysis of the role of chiefs in the system of political power in Ghana, a normative-legal analysis to present the legal dimension of their activities and a retrospective analysis to present the evolution of their powers, functions, and, as a consequence, political influence. The example of the Republic of Ghana, considered in this article, clearly demonstrates that even one of the most developed democratic systems in Africa has a pronounced traditionalist political dimension. Despite the fact that the country’s constitution does not allow chiefs to participate in elections at all levels as candidates, the political reality demonstrates their deep involvement in the political process on an informal basis. Authority in tribal communities and the right to dispose of the historical land of the tribe makes them priority agents of political influence in the national electoral system. As the study shows, it is their support that largely determines the victory of not only members of parliament, but also presidents of the country. In this regard, the political process in Ghana appears as quasi-democratic and based on traditional forms of power, which act as an informal platform for the political struggle of parties and elites.