The Ga Traditional Area which is wrongfully called the Ga State instead of Ga Mashie is limited to Abola, Asere, Gbese, Akunmadzen, Otublohum, Sempe and James Town.
The common Ga language spoken in most Traditional areas in the Greater Accra Region has created the impression that there is homogeneity and therefore some mischieviously project the Ga Mashie Mantse as Overlord of all the Ga Speaking People; as in Ashanti or Dagbon.
Osu, La, Teshie, Nungua, Tema, Prampram and Ada are independent and are not under the Ga Mashie Mantse also called the Ga Mantse.
Additionally, upon Ghana becoming a Republic on 1st July, 1960 a number of Chieftaincy based creations were abolished;
THERE IS NO KINGDOM WITHIN A REPUBLIC.
Consequently, after 1st July 1960, THERE ARE NO KINGS IN GHANA TODAY.
There are however, Paramount Chiefs, some with Paramouncies and Disional Chiefs under then…
Traditional Councils are statutory bodies created by the Government to interface with the Chief, who is the automatically President of the Traditional Council.
Traditional Councils are advisory in nature and the members may include Chiefs and non-chiefs who serve as Advisors of the Chief.
Not all members of every Traditional Council is a Chief; their advise to the Chief is non-binding.
The Stool Council, however, is exclusively of the Royal stock and their advice to the Chief is binding on the Chief; failure to heed will result in distoolment of the Chief.
Stools own Lands and not Traditional Councils.
Stools and the Chief constitute the Traditional Authority of the Traditional area.
Stools celebrate Festivals, Customary and Traditional rites not the Traditional Councils.
The elevation of Divisional Councils to the status of Paramouncies are governed by strict guidelines and does not necessarily create Disional Councils; UNLESS EXPRESSLY STATED BY THE REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS as it can cause dislocation and confusion if everybody so wrongfully elevated may proceed to create other structures that may not be grounded in law nor custom.
TO BE CONTINUED.
By Prince-Derek Adjei