Former Minister of Local Government and Decentralisation, Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, has warned that poor implementation of decentralisation policies could threaten Ghana’s unity and encourage separatist tendencies.
Speaking at a sensitisation and policy orientation workshop organised by the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCC) on May 19, 2026, Prof Ahwoi said decentralisation, if not properly managed, could gradually lead to federalism, secession and the breakup of a country.
According to him, Ghana’s decentralisation structure was deliberately designed to keep regional authorities weak to maintain national cohesion.
“In decentralising, you must be aware that there are separatist tendencies. It is very easy to move from decentralisation to separation, to federalism, to balkanisation, to secession, and to the breakdown of the country,” he stated.
Prof Ahwoi described Ghana as an “artificial colonial construct,” arguing that like many African countries, it was created through colonial arrangements rather than historical national unity.
He also stated that the Ashanti Kingdom could historically have expanded to dominate much of present-day Ghana if not for British colonial intervention.
“It is most likely that Ashanti would have conquered the rest of Ghana. They had, because the British just stopped them,” he said.
The former minister noted that Ghana has remained stable partly because of what he described as “wise Ashanti leaders” who have not encouraged separatist ideas.
He warned that ethnic or regional tensions could emerge if decentralisation systems are abused or poorly implemented.
Prof Ahwoi referenced the breakup of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, as well as Nigeria’s civil war following the attempted secession of Biafra, as examples of how strong regional identities can threaten national unity.
“I have explained to you that Ashanti could easily be a country. The Dagomba Kingdom could easily be a country. We don’t want to fashion out a governance system that will give an excuse for Ghana to break up,” he added.
The workshop formed part of efforts to build awareness and support for Ghana’s new National Decentralisation Policy and Strategic Framework (2026–2030), with media practitioners participating in discussions on governance and local administration reforms.
