Chiefs and Electoral Politics in Ghana’s Fourth Republic

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2009

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Journal of Intra African Studies

Abstract

The 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution of Ghana categorically places a ban on chiefs from doing politics. Whereas some chiefs have shown respect to the ban on them from politics, others see the ban on them as discriminatory and against their human rights. They see the injunction on them not to actively participate in electoral politics as so devastating and humiliating that, for the sake of protecting their interest and political self-preservation, they have adopted a number of political responses. One of these responses has been to adopt different ways of influencing the outcome of both national and local elections that have been conducted. To a large extent they have been successful because they are very influential people in their local areas of jurisdiction. The paper therefore recommends that in view of the fact that some chiefs would still want to bring their influence to bear on national politics either publicly or behind the scenes, an independent second chamber must be created and its membership must include chiefs who would be elected by the Regional House of Chiefs on a non-competitive and non-partisan electoral process to bring their influences and rich experiences to bear on policies and bills before forwarding them for presidential assent. In this way, chiefs are given the opportunity to play their role in national politics without subjecting themselves to the taunts and mockery that are characteristic of electoral politics

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Journal of Intra African Studies, Vol. 1(1) (April), pp 86-111

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