The Political history of Ghana recounts the history of varying political systems that
existed in Ghana during pre-colonial times, the colonial era and after independence. Pre-colonial
Ghana was made up of several states and ethnic groups whose political system was categorized
by 3 main administrative models; Centralized, Non-centralized and Theocratic states. In
the colonial era, the British Empire employed different forms of government among its four
territorial possessions in the Gold Coast. Indirect rule was implemented in the late
19th century after its success in Northern Nigeria. From the 1940s, native Ghanaians
yearned for more autonomy. This resulted in the several constitutional reforms as well
as the creation of the office of the Prime Minister in 1952.
The Gold Coast gained independence in 1957 under the legal name of Ghana. Prime Minister,
Kwame Nkrumah was elected as the 1st President of Ghana in 1960. The government of Kwame
Nkrumah won the approval of a constitutional referendum in 1964, that made Ghana a One-party
state and him, president for life. The Nkrumah government was desposed in a Coup initiated
by the National Liberation Council. Ghana became a Republic once more on 1 October 1969
when the National Liberation Council handed power over to civilian rule. A new constitution
was drafted based on the parliamentary system of government in the United Kingdom. Between
1972 and 1979, Ghana fell under the rule of several military dictators. John Jerry Rawlings
led an uprising on 4th June 1979 which transitioned the country to democratic rule by September
1979.
In 1981, John Rawlings seized the country in a Coup and the military government ruled
Ghana until 1993, when a transition process was in place to hand over power from the military
back to civilian rule. The 4th Republic was inaugurated on 7th January 1993.
Pre-colonial Ghana There were three main forms of political systems
among the natives of Pre-colonial Ghana. These were centralized states, Non-centralized groups
and Theocracies.
Centralized States Ashanti Empire
The Ashanti Empire was created from a confederacy of several chiefdoms and united as a single
state under the Golden stool. The Asantehene was the highest form of authority in the empire
where most of Ashanti's power centered upon. He did not enjoy absolute rule. If the Asantehene
violated the oaths he took during his enstoolment, he could be impeached. The Asanteman Council
served as the advisory body to the king. Every Metropolitan Ashanti state was headed by an
Amanhene or paramount chief who served as the principal rulers of each state. The Ohene
was in charge of the state divisions whiles the odikro exercised jurisdiction over all
villages in Ashanti. The Kotoko Council was the legislative body of the empire.
Mole-Dagbani In Mole-Dagbani, every state had its own autonomous
government that was headed by a supreme ruler. For example, the supreme ruler of the Mamprusi
was known as the Nayiri whilst that of the Gonja was the Yagbumwura. A council of elders
existed to assist the supreme ruler in his administrative of the state. Below the supreme
ruler and Council of elders were the divisional chiefs who were responsible for the various
divisions in the state.
Non-Centralized states Ethnic groups such as Vagala, Sisala, Guan
and Talensi in Northern Ghana were acephalous states with no organized political system.
They lacked a central government to make and enforce laws. An individual landlord executed
authority over all lands. Among the Talensi for example, such landlords were referred
to as the Tendaana. Each Talensi family lineage was headed by an elder known as the Kpe'em
who was socially abs spiritually responsible for the conduct of the members of his lineage.
Theocracies Theocratic groups included the Ga-Adangbe,
and the Guan where power rested in the hands of a priestly class. The Ga-Adangbe lacked
a central authority since each Ga settlement was autonomous. The Wulomei or fetish priest
represented the Ga priestly class. In time, the Ga city states separated political power
from religious authority. The position of state chief, known as Gã Mantse became responsible
for civil matters while religious authority remained in the hands of the Wulomei, yet
still, the Wulomei had great influence in the administration of the state.
According to Reindorf, the Guan people were not governed by any "principal man" buy every
town had its own ruler. The fetish priest wielded both political and religious functions.
Due to the influence of Akan Chieftaincy institutions, each Guan state later adopted a chief and
the office of a priest was separated from that of a chief. The clan heads of each state
formed a council of elders that assisted the chiefs in decision-making.
Colonial era Dutch Gold Coast
The Dutch West India Company was responsible for Dutch colonial possessions in the Gold
Coast. The company was headed by a Director-general who was assisted by a council of senior colonial
officers. The structure of the Dutch Gold Coast government was restructured in 1675.
The area under the authority of the Director-General was redefined as "the Coast of Africa, from
Sierra Leone all exclusively to 30 degrees South of the equator, together with all the
islands in between," thereby nominally reinstating the claim on the territories lost in this
area to the Portuguese.
British Gold Coast The British Gold Coast was made up of Southern
Ghana, the Ashanti Crown Colony, the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast Protectorate
and the Trust Territory of Togoland. Southern Ghana was administered differently from Ashanti,
the Northern Territories and British Togo land. The Ashanti, Northern Territories and
British Togoland were ruled directly by the Governor who was assisted by Chief commissioners,
commissioners and District commissioners. On the other hand, Southern Ghana was ruled
by an Executive and Legislative Council which aided the governor in administrating the state.
Indirect rule was introduced into the Gold Coast by Governor Gordon Guggisberg. The system
of indirect rule was first implemented in West Africa by Frederick Lugard in Northern
Nigeria from 1901, after he became Governor. He then recommended its application in other
British colonies in Africa. Indirect rule led to the division of the Gold Coast into
provinces under the administration and jurisdiction of Provincial Commissioners. Each province
will sub divided into a member of administrative units which was headed by District Commissioners.
Each district was made up of traditional areas that fell under the control of a paramount
chief or king. These kings, chiefs and sub-chiefs were responsible for presiding over native
courts, maintaining law and order as well as satisfying access to basic amenities such
as clinics and schools. The native authorities functioned under the general direction and
control of the British District Commissioners. There was a growth of nationalism among native
Ghanaians in the 1940s, resulting in the call for more autonomy in 1948. The Coussey Committee
was formed in response to the riots of Acrra in 1948, in order to draft a new constitution
that will satisfy the demands of the natives. A new constitution was formed in 1951 which
conferred on the country a self-governing status. The United Gold Coast Convention was
the first native political party in the Gold Coast. General elections were held in 1951.
The election was the first in Africa to be held under universal suffrage. As a result,
Kwame Nkrumah, who represented the Convention People's Party was elected as the first Prime
Minister of Ghana in 1952. There was also the approval of a new constitution on 29 April
1954. The new constitution meant that assembly members were no longer elected by the ethnic
councils, the assembly was enlarged, and all members were chosen by direct election from
equal, single-member constituencies. It established a cabinet composed of African ministers, and
only defense and foreign policy remained in the hands of the governor; the elected assembly
was given control over the majority of internal affairs. In order to reflect the provisions
of the new constitution, a nation wide election was held in 1954 which was won by the CPP,
a political party founded by Kwame Nkrumah. The 1954 General election gave the country
its first All-African assembly. Elections were organised in July 1956 by the
British government which saw the CPP win by a landslide. On 3rd August 1956, Kwame Nkrumah
passed a proposal in Parliament, calling for the independence of the Gold Coast of which
the British accepted. The United Nations organized a plebiscite on 9 May 1956 to decide whether
the Trust Territory of Togoland would join Ghana at Independence. Majority of the people
in the Trust Territory of Togoland voted in the plebiscite for unification with Ghana.
Ghana gained independence in 1957 and the first presidential elections took place in
1960. Kwame Nkrumah emerged as the first president of sovereign Ghana.
Independence First Republic
Between 1957 and 1960, Charles Arden-Clarke who was governor of the Gold Coast before
its independence, became Governor-General and ceremonial head of state. He represented
the British Monarch. Kwame Nkrumah remained Prime Minister and Head of government. In
1960, Kwame Nkrumah became president of the sovereign Gold Coast now called Ghana. The
Republican constitution set up by the Nkrumah government that year further strengthened
the position of president Nkrumah as the Executive president. The president was empowered to
appoint and dismiss the Chief Justice. Under Article 24, the president was empowered to
give assent to every bill passed by Parliament either wholly or in part, as well as reject
the bill. Following a constitutional referendum on 31 January 1934, Ghana became a One-party
state in 1964, with the CPP recognized as the only political party in the country. On
24 February 1966, the Nkrumah government was toppled in a military coup executed by Colonel
Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka and Major Akwasi Afrifa They proclaimed the establishment of the National
Liberation Council which became the subsequent government of the country.
Second Republic The National Liberation Council established
many commissions and advisory committees to make policies and engage with civil society.
Various committees were assigned to areas such as the economy, public relations, foreign
relations, law, farming, and the structure of government itself . Regional and local
commissioners were replaced by "management committees"; administrative districts were
consolidated from 168 to 47. The management committees were constituted mostly by civil
servants as well as one private citizen nominated by the police. Many personnel from the old
councils participated in the new committees.
The NLC certified its plans to transfer power to civilian rule. It lifted the ban on political
activities in Ghana in May 1969. A date was fixed for general elections in order to hand
over to civilian rule on 1 October 1969. Five political parties participated in the August
29 elections. Of these, the largest were the Progress Party, led by K.A. Busia, and the
National Alliance of Liberals, led by K. A. Gbedemah. Busia and the Progress Party won
the sizeable majority of seats: 105 of 140. A new constitution, passed on August 15, 1969,
provided for a judiciary, a unicameral legislature, a prime minister, and a president. It introduced
a parliamentary system of government similar to that of the United Kingdom. The constitution
held the view that the traditional separations of power are outdated and it is the job of
the President to preserve the independence of institutions. The Second Republic Constitution
used a decentralized form of government, where the local administrations served as extensions
to the central government, which set the local administration's prerogative. The Second Republic
began on 1 October 1969 with K. A Busia as the Prime Minister and Edward Akufo-Addo as
president and ceremonial head of state.
Third Republic The Busia administration and Second Republic
of Ghana came to an end in 1972, when the National Redemption Council enabled a Coup
D'etat and became the new government on 13 January 1972. Several military juntas took
hold of administering the state between 1972 and 1979. They included the Supreme Military
Council and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. The Armed Revolutionary Council led by John
Jerry Rawlings rose to power in 1979 following an uprising on June 4th. The Council initiated
a transition process of handing over power to a civilian government. General elections
were slated for 1979. Flagbearer of the People's National Party , Hilla Limann became president
after winning the general election. The PNP government of Hilla Liman marked the inauguration
of the Third Republic on 24th September 1979.
Recent history Fourth Republic
On 31st September 1981, the Provisional National Defence Council, led by John Jerry Rawlings
toppled the 3rd Republic in a Coup that saw the military government rule Ghana from December
1981 till 7th January 1993.
The PNDC provided a new constitution in 1992 and held elections that year. Rawlings's party,
the NDC, won the presidential election with 58% of the vote. The opposition boycotted
the subsequent parliamentary elections. The new constitution was designed to decentralize
the government in Ghana. John Kufuor succeeded Jerry Rawlings as the second president of
the 4th Republic after winning majority votes at the 2000 Ghanaian general election. This
was the first peaceful transition of power in the 4th Republic.