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.
History Like other lodges in the six million–member global fraternity, Ghanaian Freemasons are expected to believe in the immortality of the soul and in a Creator or a Supreme Being, sometimes referred to as the Grand Architect of the Universe. Membership is open to all irrespective of ethnicity or social background. The oldest grand lodges were consecrated in England (1717), Ireland (1725), France (1728), the United States (1730) and Scotland (1736). Membership is either by invitation only or free–will depending on the geographic region.
The inspiration for freemasonry is connected to the ancient days of the biblical Solomonic Temple, 4000 years ago, through to the craft of stonemasonry in the Middle Ages. The craft of Freemasonry is found in the Holy Books (Bible, Torah, Vedas, Quran), the old charges or old manuscripts and old lodge charters dating to circa 1390, and in Masonic books. In Europe and Ottoman territories, each country formed its own Masonic Speculative Lodges and Grand Orient Lodges. There have been records of ancient lodges in Beirut, Damascus and Tripoli.
Principles Members are taught the principles of fellowship and friendships with emphasis on education, personal integrity, personal responsibility, character, morality, ethics, philanthropy and social/charitable contributions. Historically, the core principles of Ghanaian Freemasonry included brotherly love, relief and truth. Masonic meetings forbid political discussions. While its laws are made public, the internal affairs of Ghanaian Freemasonry are considered private.
District Grand Lodge of Ghana The records of the first lodges on the Gold Coast indicate that Torridzonian Lodge No. 621 was consecrated on 11 April 1810 at the Cape Coast Castle. In 1833, another lodge, Cape Coast Lodge No. 599 was constituted. By 1863, both lodges had become defunct. Specifically, Torridzonian Lodge was formally decommissioned on 4 June, 1862. In 1859, the United Grand Lodge of England constituted the Gold Coast Lodge, No. 1075 English Constitution, (later numbered 773) which has been active since that period. At the turn of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century, several lodges were consecrated under the English Constitution of the UGLE: Victoria Lodge No. 2393 on 2 December 1891 in Accra Accra Lodge No. 3063 on 2 March 1905, in Accra Sekondi Lodge No. 3238 on 19 March 1908, in Sekondi Taquah Lodge No. 3356 on 27 May 1909, in Tarkwa Ashanti Lodge No. 3717 on 20 March 1914 based in Kumasi St. George’s Lodge No. 3851 on 25 September 1918 based in Sekondi McCarthy Lodge No. 4132 on 29 January 1921 also based in Kumasi The Grand Lodge of Scotland entered the fray in 1921 when it issued a charter to establish Lodge Progressive No. 1261 on 30 November 1921, in Cape Coast. Subsequently, a series of lodges were consecrated under the Scottish constitution: Lodge St. Andrew No. 1299 on 12 January 1924 in Accra Lodge Morality No. 1362 on 29 December 1929 in Kumasi Lodge Unity No. 1466 on 29 December 1951 in Accra Lodge Fidelity No. 1468 on 26 January 1952 in Takoradi Lodge Kumasi No. 1472 on 1 November 1952 in Kumasi Lodge Charity No. 1473 on 3 January 1953 in Accra Lodge Achimota No. 1522 on 29 December 1956 in Accra As more lodges were erected, a petition by the ten Lodges under the United Grand Lodge of England for a District Grand Lodge was granted. The District Grand Lodge of the Gold Coast under the English Constitution was inaugurated in Accra on 9 May 1931. In January 1953 the seven Gold Coast Lodges under the Grand Lodge of Scotland petitioned for a District Grand Lodge of the Gold Coast under the Scottish Constitution which was inaugurated on 17 January 1953. When Ghana attained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, the St. Patrick Lodge No. 793, was consecrated on 16 March 1957 and was the sole Lodge in Ghana Warrant granted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland for 14 years. Thus, all three of the “Home Grand Lodges" had representation in Ghana. Beginning in 1971, six new Lodges were consecrated under Warrant granted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland: Abuakwa Lodge No. 840 on 9 January 1971 in Akwatia Saltpond Lodge No. 841 on 28 August 1971 in Saltpond Ahanta Lodge No. 843 on 20 May 1972 in Sekondi Asante Kotoko Lodge No. 844 on 1 July 1972 in Kumasi Adanisman Lodge No. 849 on 4 April 1973 in Obuasi Sekyere Lodge No. 850 on 28 April 1973 in Asante Mampong The seven Lodges, operating under the Irish constitution petitioned and received approval for a Provincial Grand Lodge of Ghana, formed on 1 September 1973. In early 1994, a lecture titled “Let us Have a United Grand Lodge of Ghana” was presented at the meeting of Unicorn Lodge No. 8840, English Constitution with proposals made to achieve the unification objective. The Ghanaian quantity surveyor, politician and a Freemason, Harry Sawyerr delivered a speech at the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Lodge St. Andrew No. 1299 Scottish Constitution, outlining how recognition for the United Grand Lodge of Ghana could be achieved.
On 9 June 2003, at an Open Forum held under the aegis of the Concordia Lodge No. 7199, English Constitution, with representatives from all the three Masonic Constitutions in Ghana, the idea of the United Grand Lodge of Ghana was discussed at length. In 2004, the Provincial Grand Master of Ghana Irish Constitution, Nana Herman Mould and the District Grand Master Scottish Constitution, Charles William Stanley–Pierre and District Grand Master of Ghana English Constitution, Kow Abaka Quansah conferred on establishing the Grand Lodge of Ghana. The then Provincial Grand Master–Designate of the Irish Constitution, John Atta–Quayson, attended the meeting. Other Masons who advocated for a joint lodge were Fredua, Mensah, then Provincial Grand Master of the Irish Constitution, D. S. Quarcoopome, then District Grand Master Scottish Constitution and later still Nana Herman A. Mould as Provincial Grand Master, Irish Constitution. The District Grand Lodge of Ghana, English Constitution was not in favour of a Grand Lodge of Ghana and therefore the unified entity was limited to the Scottish District and the Irish Province. Thus none of 57 English Constitution Lodge joined the Grand Lodge of Ghana.
Grand Lodge of Ghana The Provincial Grand Master, Irish Constitution and District Grand Master, Scottish Constitution, formed a Joint–Committee for rolling out the steps for establishing the Grand Lodge of Ghana. Within three years, the committee produced a draft Constitution and Laws for the Grand Lodge of Ghana, Ritual for Opening and Closing Grand Lodge, Regalia and paraphernalia for Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Lodges and Subordinate Lodges, as well as miscellaneous Documents, including Warrants, Letters of Commission, Forms and Books of administration. Fundraising activities for the formation of the Grand Lodge were also developed and periodic progress reports issued to the aspiring members. The Joint–Committee transformed into a Steering Committee for the formation of the lodge. For further deliberations, a series of assemblies were held at the: Freemasons’ Hall, Adjabeng, Accra on 7 May 2008 Freemasons’ Hall, Ahodwo, Kumasi on 14 May 2008 Freemasons’ Hall, Windy Ridge, Takoradi on 28 May 2008 Freemasons’ Hall, Aboom Wells Road, Cape Coast on 28 May 2008 A consultative assembly of accredited lodge members was convened to review and approve the draft constitution and laws on Saturday 7 June 2008. On Saturday 12 July 2008, the Electoral College assembled to elect the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ghana. Approximately 49 subordinate Lodges, made up of 21 Irish Lodges and 28 Scottish constitute the foundation lodges under novel warrants granted by the Grand Lodge of Ghana with new numbering based on the date of Consecration/Constitution and grouped into three Provincial Grand Lodges: Provincial Grand Lodge, South East, located in Accra with 20 Lodges Provincial Grand Lodge, South West, located in Cape Coast with 17 Lodges Provincial Grand Lodge, North, located in Kumasi with 12 Lodges The Grand Lodge of Ghana was formally founded on 24 January 2009 as a "Sovereign Masonic Body" under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, led by the Grand Master George Dunlop, and Grand Master Mason of Scotland, Charles Iain Robert Wolridge Gordon of Esselmont. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) was the first Grand Lodge to pass a resolution to recognise the newly–constituted Grand Lodge of Ghana. Charles William Stanley–Pierre was installed the first Grand Master. In 2013, he was succeeded by Otwasuom Osae Nyampong VI. The motto of the Grand Lodge of Ghana is “That All Shall Be One.”
Chapters The following are the chapters of Masonic chapters in Ghana: ChapterLocationGold Coast Chapter No. 773Cape CoastVictoria Chapter No. 2392AccraSecondi Chapter No. 3238SekondiTaquah Chapter No. 3356TarkwaAshanti Chapter No. 3717Kumasi.St. George’s Chapter No. 3851Sekondi–TakoradiMcCarthy Chapter No. 4132KumasiAccra Chapter No. 3063AccraHarmonic Chapter No. 4190AccraThree Pillars Chapter No. 4867AccraAmity Chapter No. 7140AccraConcordia Chapter No. 7199AccraMfantsiman Chapter No. 7260Cape CoastOsu Chapter No. 7627AccraExcelsior Chapter No. 7670KumasiWinneba Chapter No. 7708WinnibaAdisadel Chapter No. 7791Cape CoastUniversity of Technology Chapter No. 7792 SCKumasiTamale Chapter No. 7823TamaleLegon Chapter No. 8266AchimotaAsanteman Chapter No. 8351KumasiChapter Of Perfection No. 8559AccraPublic Service Chapter No. 8587AccraTogo Chapter No. 8605Lome, TogoVolta Chapter No. 8652HoOkwawuman Chapter No. 8754AbetifiMeridian Chapter of Installed 1st Principals No. 9386Accra
Lodges Lodges established in different cities in Ghana include: LodgeLocationGold Coast Lodge No. 773Cape CoastVictoria Lodge No. 2392AccraAccra Lodge No. 3063AccraSekondi Lodge No. 3238Sekondi–TakoradiTaquah Lodge No. 3356TarkwaAshanti Lodge No. 3717KumasiSt. George’s Lodge No. 3851Sekondi–TakoradiMcCarthy Lodge No. 4132KumasiHarmonic Lodge No. 4190AccraThree Pillars Lodge No. 4867AccraTravellers Lodge No. 6758AccraAmity Lodge No. 7140AccraWassaw Lodge No. 7141TarkwaMfantsipim Lodge No. 7260Cape CoastCoronation Lodge No. 7309Sekondi–TakoradiGold Coast Jubilee Masters Lodge No. 7457AccraKeta Lodge No. 7467KetaOsu Lodge No. 7627AccraExelsior Lodge No. 7670KumasiTema Lodge No. 7718TemaAdisadel Lodge No. 7791Cape CoastUniversity of Technology Lodge No. 7792KumasiTamale Lodge No. 7823TamaleBrong Ahafo Lodge No. 7862SunyaniMfantsiman Lodge No. 7863Cape CoastConcordia Lodge No. 7199AccraWinneba Lodge No. 7708WinnebaSir Charles Tachie–Menson Lodge No. 8058AccraLegon Lodge No. 8266AchimotaOdadee Lodge No. 10031Accra
Grand Masters District Grand Lodge of Ghana
District Grand MasterTenure of officeD. J. Oman1931–1934Major G. T. Kingsford1935–1945Major Charles Owen Butler1947–1950Sir Charles W. Tachie-Menson, KBE1950–1962Dr. Stanley Walker Coope1963–1968Dr. Ebenezer A. Sackey, OBE1969–1988Dr. J. V. L. Philips1988–1998E. A. B. Mayne1998–2002B. K. Otoo2002–2004Kow Abaka Quansah2004–2015Isaac Owulaku Hood2016–
Grand Lodge of Ghana