Examining the Position of the Chieftaincy Institution in Modern Political System of Ghana

Abstract

In pre-colonial Ghana, the chieftaincy institution was the main system of governance and adjudication of justice. Chiefs carried out combined legislative, executive and judicial functions. However, with the advent of modern political system of governance in Ghana and its administration of justice, the chieftaincy institution now plays a subordinating role to the modern state. The institution equally in present times is ripped with a number of violent conflicts. With this development, some people are of the opinion that the institution has become an anachronistic in contemporary Ghanaian political discourse. Probing the situation, 132 indigenes from three conflict prone communities in the Northern Region of Ghana and 5 other key informants were selected through quota and purposive sampling techniques in a cross-sectional study. Data gathered through interviews revealed that in spite of the weaknesses associated with the chieftaincy institution, (1) it is the preferred point of call in terms of people"s "peace-seeking behaviour" in conflict situation, and that (2) it is highly perceived as having the capability to resolve conflicts peacefully, amicably and sustainably in Ghanaian communities.