Traditional authorities and local governance in Ghana: a review of two decades of politico-administrative decentralization in Ghana

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Periodical article

Title:	Traditional authorities and local governance in Ghana: a review of two decades of politico-administrative decentralization in Ghana
Author:	National House of Chiefs, Ghana
Year:	2010
Periodical:	Journal of Local Government Studies (ISSN 2026-5840)
Volume:	2
Issue:	1
Pages:	80-91
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	chieftaincy local government decentralization
Abstract:	In Ghana, traditional rulers represented by chiefs or kings are considered an important stakeholder in the management and control of local resources, and hence an important player in local government. Chiefs were the central cogs in precolonial and colonial modes of decentralized administration, and the chieftaincy institution has proven to be resilient due to its self-renewing capacity and adaptability to modern dictates of government. However, the local government system implemented in Ghana provides limited space for engagement between the 'formal' local government structures and the traditional authorities to participate in the government and development of the local areas. In this context, this paper highlights the perception of traditional rulers on the provisions of the 1992 Constitution with specific reference to chapter 20, which deals with decentralization and local government. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract, edited]