Chieftaincy Disputes: A Barrier to Peace and Development in Ghana

For decades, chieftaincy disputes have continued unabated in several parts of Ghana. These conflicts, often stretching back generations, have not only divided families and clans but have also denied entire communities the chance to experience meaningful development.

The Shocking Reality of Inherited Thrones

What is most disturbing is that many of the stools at the center of these disputes have already lost the wealth, land, and resources their forebears once possessed. Today, newly enstooled chiefs often find themselves with nothing substantial to inherit. In some instances, chiefs are forced to borrow cloth, sandals, or rely on favors to meet basic family needs and also appear dignified at public events. This is not only humiliating but a stark reminder that the stool, once a source of strength and dignity, has been stripped bare by generations of conflict.

The Case of Ga and Ga-Adangme
Nowhere is this crisis more evident than in the Ga and Ga-Adangme areas, where disputes erupt almost daily. Instead of becoming custodians of peace and development, stools have turned into flashpoints of rivalry and violence. The results are plain for all to see: no stable leadership, no strong communal identity, and no sustainable development.

The Lessons of Ningo
The history of Ningo stands as a sad testament to the cost of chieftaincy disputes. For over a century, disputes over leadership and authority have overshadowed the very essence of development. Roads, schools, hospitals, and other government projects have either bypassed the area or been abandoned midway, leaving the people with little to build on. While regions such as Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, and Takoradi have managed to leverage their stools and resources for progress, Ningo, Accra and other conflict-prone areas remain stagnant.

The Exploitation of Lands
One of the gravest costs of these disputes is that government, politicians, and land speculators often take advantage of the divisions to appropriate stool and family lands. With no unified custodian to defend communal property, vast tracts of land are quietly acquired under the guise of “state projects” or sold to politically connected developers.

Concrete Examples

1. La and Nungua Lands (Accra): In Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III v. Attorney-General [2010] SCGLR 904, the La Mantse challenged the state over compulsory acquisition of La lands dating back to colonial times for military and government installations. The Supreme Court noted the state’s failure to pay compensation, a violation of Article 20 of the 1992 Constitution, which requires prompt and adequate compensation for compulsory acquisition of property.
2. Tema Acquisition: The Tema Acquisition Ordinance of 1952 compulsorily took over approximately 63 square miles of Ga lands for the Tema Harbour and Township Project. In Owoo Family v. Attorney-General [2017] (popularly known as the “La Wireless case”), the Supreme Court held that the government unlawfully reallocated acquired land without paying compensation to the original owners.
3. Teshie and Adentan Lands: In Adentan Stool v. Attorney-General (High Court, Accra, 2015, unreported), the stool challenged government reallocations of traditional lands to private developers. Disputes within the stool weakened its legal position, making it easier for political actors and land speculators to encroach.

These examples reveal a disturbing pattern: chieftaincy disputes do not just stall development — they actively enable dispossession. Once ancestral land is lost to the state or private developers, it rarely returns to the community, leaving indigenes as strangers on their own soil.

A Call for Change
It is time the people of today reject this destructive cycle. Tradition and heritage must be preserved, yes, but not at the cost of peace, unity, and progress. Communities cannot continue to sacrifice their children’s future on the altar of endless disputes. Ghana as a nation must recognize that without peace at the grassroots, national development will remain uneven and unjust.

Moving Forward

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): The National and Regional Houses of Chiefs must embrace modern mediation methods to resolve disputes faster.
• Government Responsibility: Development projects should not be stalled due to disputes, and the state must stop exploiting divisions to appropriate land.
• Legal Safeguards: Article 20 of the 1992 Constitution prohibits compulsory acquisition of property without prompt, fair compensation. Communities must actively pursue enforcement of this constitutional right.
• Community Awakening: The people themselves must rise above manipulation, defend their lands, and demand accountability from both traditional and political leaders.

If Ghana is to move forward, then the nonsense of endless chieftaincy conflicts must stop. We need peace. We need development. And above all, we need leadership that is not enslaved by disputes but empowered to create a future for generations yet unborn.

References

1. Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III v. Attorney-General [2010] SCGLR 904.
2. Owoo Family v. Attorney-General (La Wireless Case) [2017] GHASC 27.
3. Adentan Stool v. Attorney-General (High Court, Accra, 2015, unreported).
4. Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, Article 20.
5. Kasanga, K. & Kotey, N. A. (2001). Land Management in Ghana: Building on Tradition and Modernity. London: IIED.
6. National House of Chiefs, Annual Report on Chieftaincy Disputes (2018).

Cujoe999x1@yahoo.com

   Comments0