Ghana's umbilical cord

In 1919 Germany ended the rule of Royal Families and became a Republic. Royals were allowed to keep their titles but lost 50% of their assets to the state Weimarer Republic. Throughout the years Royal families stayed as local cultural identification figures in the German system but without power or being part of an advisory body like a House of Chiefs. Germany decided on a clear cut between historic periods to avoid confusion.

In Africa like e.g. in Ghana the situation is very different confusing and out of emerges frustration. In Ghana, the National House of Chiefs is the collective body of all Royals in the country. In the 1992 Ghana Constitution revised in 1996 this body has no constitutional rights or obligations. Some of the most prominent Kings like the Asantehene, GA King, etc. have no constitutional power as they are not tired to proclaim. It is a body backed by constitutional provisions as far back as 1969. The leadership of it varies from time to time. According to the Constitution, this body can advise the government on all related matters like chieftaincy and land matters not on any other state-related issues. The provisions of the Constitution do not state that the governments of Ghana have a right to use members of the National House of Chiefs to represent the country abroad, in the nation, or nationwide.

Members of the House of Chiefs are traditional rulers of their kingdoms, not the country Ghana as a sovereign nation. The lands and assets of their kingdoms, to give, to sell, and to take are at the discretion of the local kings. Land reforms like in Europe are not part of the African way, so not in Ghana.

In the past and currently, Ghanaian governments used high-ranking royals for missions abroad and provided adequate transport, accommodation, and security personnel, and still do. A job asked for is a job paid for!

In the by-laws of the Ghana Police Force, a list of services is stated to be surrendered to constitutional representatives free of charge as well as services to third parties with fees attached. Often banks in Ghana use this service and have to pay for it while under modern constitutional provisions, private security firms have to be mandated to carry out such duties. Sports and music events or registered demonstrations can rely on the Ghana Police Service for free or for clearly stated fees.

Traditional leaders such as the Asantehene, GA King, Dormahene, etc. when driving or performing kingdom traditions get Police Escort not as a state representative but as Royals of their kingdoms. No overview has been brought to the attention of the general public of how much the traditional rulers paid for the Police Service which suggests it is understood and accepted yet against the 1992 Constitution and its by-laws to render these services for free. If this assumption stands the test of time and facts it means all Ghanaian governments latest since 1969 have violated the Constitution, the Supreme Court of Ghana has not fully performed on its given mandate and Royals have breached the Constitution and by-laws. Banners or logos at the front of a car are only allowed for state representatives, not Royals who are not included in the Constitution and its by-laws but in Africa, anything goes.

In Ghana, any critical observation into this matter will be seen as laughable and irrelevant at worse as an insult to their traditions and loved kings while a scientific analysis of the Constitution and constitutional reality sees this as the umbilical cord of politics with consequences for judgment of the state of affairs we observe in contemporary Ghana.