Open AccessThe Effects of Chieftaincy and Land Conflicts on the Socio-political Development of Northern Ghana
Author(s) -
Francis Issahaku Malongza Bukari,
Stephen B. Kendie,
Mohammed Sulemana,
Sylvester Zackaria Galaa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of social science research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2327-5510
DOI - 10.5296/ijssr.v5i1.11008
Subject(s) - politics , emancipation , ethnic group , identity (music) , political science , sustainable development , sociology , political economy , economic growth , development economics , law , economics , physics , acoustics
This paper assesses the effects of inter-ethnic chieftaincy and land conflicts on the socio-political development of northern Ghana. The knowledge gap the study sought to fill is the use of theoretical antecedents to illustrate that conflicts have some merits for socio-political development and that conflict theories equally depict solutions to conflicts. Methodologically, the study makes use of content analysis of secondary data, by following the tenets of the realistic group conflict theory. Examples were drawn from the Konkomba, Gonja, Nanumba, Dagomba, Kusasi, Mo and the Sissala disputes of emancipation. It was revealed that major positive effects of the conflicts include improvement in the decision-making processes on community development issues, strengthening of inter-ethnic unity and helping to redeem the identity of a group. The destruction of life and property is the major demerit. It was recommended that civic education on the causes and effects of the conflicts by authentic participation of potential disputants could provide a more sustainable way of preventing conflict.