The History of Freemasonry in Ghana
The history of Freemasonry in Ghana can be traced to the early nineteenth century when the first Masonic lodge was consecrated in the country. The practice of Freemasonry was imported to the then Gold Coast and other Commonwealth realms by European residents in the nation during the British colonial era. Most of the lodges in Ghana are governed by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and Wales, Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Similar to their sister organisations worldwide, Ghanaian masonic fraternities are nonsectarian, with proceedings of the societies being strictly apolitical and non–religious
Freemasonry, a global way of life, boasts over four million members worldwide, with Ghana hosting over 1000 Freemasons. The Grand Lodge of Ghana, founded in 2009 to govern itself, took over from earlier ties with British Lodges such as the Grand Lodge of Ireland,
Grand Lodge of Scotland, and United Grand Lodge of England. Freemasonry’s presence in Ghana dates back to the 1800s, with Freemasons gathering in Lodges to enhance personal growth and conduct charitable endeavors benefiting communities. These quiet acts of charity are very important to Freemasonry. They show how Freemasonry is dedicated to always getting better and helping others in society. In 2019, the Grand Lodge of Ghana acknowledged concerns about how some people wrongly linked Freemasonry with occultism and evil practices.
They explained that the main reason for being a Freemason is to help others and improve the world for everyone. The Grand Master of the group, Most Worshipful Bro Naval Captain Kwadjo Adunkwa Butan said: “We are humans just like everybody else.
Another member of the group, the Chairman of the Grand Lodge Masonic Education Committee, Right Worshipful, Abraham Gyasi added: “The misconceptions you have been hearing, they are not true, we don’t kill other people, we don’t drink blood, we are not an occult organisation but an organisation of very decent and respectable men.”
