Chieftaincy and Rural Development in Ghana Since Independence

Abstract

Chieftaincy is one of the oldest and highly cherished institutions in Ghana. The institution is so close to the hearts of people and useful as an instrument of government that governments since independence have scrupulously avoided any unwarranted interference with it and have either left it alone or provided specifically for its existence. Chiefs play an important role in local traditional governance. They serve as a medium for the expression of social, political, religious and to some extent, economic authority. Chiefs are a force to reckon with in the rural areas where the bulk of Ghanaians reside and have served as uniting forces in mobilizing the people for several communal activities. In spite of the leadership provided by chiefs in the rural areas since independence, it is widely believed that the rural areas still remain under-developed. One can however not relegate to the background the invaluable roles that have been played by chiefs particularly in the rural areas. The paper discussed the extent to which the role played by chiefs has contributed to rural development in terms of poverty reduction, provision of basic social infrastructure and amenities; the various constraints of chiefs since independence and the extent to which such constraints have hindered their efforts at developing their areas of jurisdiction; and the possible roles that chiefs can play in modern times to bring about more development in the rural areas