Politicians Stripped Chiefs of Power – Prof Ellison

Renowned scholar, historian and professor, Kofi Ellison, has recently expressed his concerns about the diminishing powers of chiefs in Ghana, attributing this trend to the restructuring of local governance systems.

According to Prof Ellison, politicians have played a significant role in reducing the authority and influence of chiefs, particularly through the introduction of local governance administration.

In a recent interview, on Amammere ne Amanie with Kwaku Frimpong on July 8, he highlighted that the restructuring of local governance, spearheaded by former President Jerry Rawlings, aimed to shift power from chiefs to assemblymen.

He stated, “Rawlings used the local governance administration to reduce the power of chiefs and gave power to assemblymen.”

This shift in power dynamics has made it increasingly challenging for chiefs to exercise their traditional role of calling individuals to order.

Prof Ellison noted that the power of summons, once wielded by chiefs to resolve disputes and maintain order within communities, has been eroded.

In the past, disputes were typically first addressed by the Abusuapanin (family head), and more complex matters were elevated to subchiefs or chiefs for resolution. However, with the changes in local governance, the authority of chiefs in settling disputes has been significantly diminished.

Story by Adwoa S. Danso