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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 May 2014
This department, which was until December, 1997 known as the National Archives of Ghana, takes care of documents from northern Ghana, and has served both local and international researchers since its establishment in 1960. The Ghana Public Records and Archives Administration department in Tamale has had quite a number of visiting researchers, but there are few descriptive guide for users. This paper is intended to serve as an introductory guide in this respect.
Between 1950 and 1954, the Gold Coast Archivist undertook a survey of District records in the various district headquarters of what was then the Gold Coast Colony, Ashanti, and the Northern Territories. This led to the establishment of the National Archives of Ghana, offices at Kumasi on 3 August 1959. This was intended first to serve the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, and Northern Ghana areas. The office was housed on the premises of the Government Agent's office at Kumase. When the Tamale office was opened, it was also housed on the premises of the Regional Administration there. The space is very cramped and there have been constant calls on the department to look for their own accommodation.
The archives opens at 8.00am, but requests for documents from the repository starts only at 9.00am and lasts until 3.00pm, except for a break between 12:30pm and 1:30pm, during which no documents can be requested. The visitors' book must always be signed.
An international/foreign researcher is required to bring a letter of introduction from the Ghana Public Records and Archives Administraton headquarters in Accra.
I am very grateful to the workers at the Tamale Archives, especially sister Leica, Mrs. Palance, Mr. Mahama, and the acting Archivist, Mr. Amadu.
2 Letter from Archivist on “District Record Books” to Secretaries, Regional Commissioners, and government agents, 22 August 1958, NRD 8/3/153, p. 70.
3 Letter from Archivist, Kumase, on “regional office file, NAG, Kumasi” to all Permanent Secretaries, Regional Commissioners et al, 27 July 1959, NRG 8/3/153, p. 93.
4 This became a heated discussion when Kwame Nkrumah was accommodated at the Residency following the bomb attempt on his life at Kulungugu. The presence of the archives here, it was argued, posed a security risk. Letter from T.M. Akita, Regional Archivist, on “Office accommodation for the National Archives Regional Office at Tamale” to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Education, 14 August 1962, NA 135/83.
