Can Chiefs Be the Problem of Ghana's Democratic Political Space

Abstract

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana gives unfettered privileges to chiefs and their roles with regard to customs and their usages in the country. A whole chapter in the constitution has been dedicated to the chieftaincy institution which clearly indicates their mandates with a caveat that they cannot actively take part in politics. This arrangement, not only makes them feel alienated from the dayto-day-political discourse of the nation, but also leaves them with a sense of loss of their former position. However, since the institution is revered and forms part of the cultural heritage of the country, comments from these chiefs have in most cases shaped the political discussions of the nation positively or negatively. This paper looks at three major statements by some chiefs, the controversies these statements generated and the conclusions drawn. The paper is a desk research and the researcher relied on secondary data.