The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has urged the Ghanaian government to amend Article 245(a) of the 1992 Constitution, which currently delegates local development to elected local government officials. The CRC argues that this arrangement has failed to deliver on its promises and that traditional chieftaincy institutions possess the capacity and legitimacy to accelerate development at the community level.
In its recommendation, the CRC proposes that local government chief executives be elected directly rather than appointed, and that an Independent Devolution Commission be established to deepen decentralisation. The Committee also suggests that the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) consider granting chieftaincy the constitutional authority it has historically wielded, arguing that chiefs can mobilise resources, land, and community networks more effectively than the current political apparatus.
Proponents point to the example of Nana Kwasi Ansu, the Biadanhene of the Berekum Traditional Area, who in the 1950s led his people to secure pipe‑borne water, a community centre, a motorable road and a power plant. Such grassroots initiatives, they say, can serve as building blocks for national progress.
Critics fear that empowering chieftaincy could exacerbate succession disputes and division. However, supporters counter that the negative perception of chiefs as sources of conflict is exaggerated and that their deep cultural knowledge and gender‑inclusive structures, such as the queenmother role, position them as ideal agents for inclusive development.
The CRC’s call comes amid growing concerns that 72% of Ghanaian youth are considering leaving the country due to limited employment opportunities, and that political discontinuity and weak legal enforcement have stalled many national projects. By re‑empowering traditional leaders, the CRC hopes to create a more responsive and locally driven development model.
What follows is a debate over constitutional reform and the role of chieftaincy in Ghana’s future. The government’s response and any subsequent legislative changes will be closely watched by policymakers, traditional leaders, and the public alike.
