Chieftaincy, Land Dispute and Violent Conflict in Northern Ghana

Chieftaincy, Land Dispute and Violent Conflict in Northern Ghana
Author: Phidelia Amey
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN: 9783659427718
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In recent years, a number of African countries have been embroiled in bitter ethnic conflicts and civil wars, which have threatened the very basis of the modern African state. There are growing concerns about the adverse effects these conflicts are having on the stability and development of the continent. Countries such as Ghana, meanwhile, seem to be relatively stable in a West African region of great instability. However periodic violent ethnic clashes particularly in the Northern part of the country has become a source of concern. This study is an account of the emergence of particular identities and how they are linked to ethnic conflict. The paper argues that the root causes of most ethnic conflicts can be traced to how identities have been manipulated over the years. The study seeks to identify the distortions in social structures as a result of continues manipulation and explains why these conflicts have persisted. The paper proposes a multi-dimensional approach which will include institutional reforms and capacity building of security agencies as some of the pragmatic measures that policy makers can adopt in addressing the numerous challenges that these conflicts present.

An Ethnographic Study of Northern Ghanaian Conflicts

An Ethnographic Study of Northern Ghanaian Conflicts
Author: A. K. Awedoba
Publisher: African Books Collective
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2009
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9988647387
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Conflict in Northern Ghana appears to be increasing in amplitude and frequency and its effects are getting more devastating. It is the view of this book that The Government of Ghana and civil society organisations involved in aspects of conflict management have approached peace issues in the region with an inadequate understanding of the local issues that divide and unite the people, or using sufficient resources to pre-emt conflict. In 2003 The Mole V summit was held in Damongo to discuss strategic directions for comprehensive development and poverty reduction in Northern Ghana as a mechanism for supporting conflict management. It is the aim of this publication to contribute to the proposed plan by suggesting past and current conflict management resources and mechanisms which could be employed. The suggestions are informed by surveys, which are oulined in the book, of particular conflicts in the three northern Regions of Ghana between 2006 and 2008 - their histories, causes and efforts and their resolution.

Ethnic Conflicts in Northern Ghana

Ethnic Conflicts in Northern Ghana
Author: Ibrahim Mahama
Publisher:
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2003
Genre: Northern Region (Ghana)
ISBN:
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The overwhelming minority

The overwhelming minority
Author: Julia Jönsson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 47
Release: 2011
Genre:
ISBN:
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This paper investigates the importance of the historical construction of chieftaincy, and the interaction of traditional institutions with the state, in structuring the inter-ethnic conflicts of the Northern Region of Ghana between 1980 and 2002. During this period, the area experienced a series of episodes of large-scale violence, culminating in the 1994-1995 conflict that cost thousands of lives. This crisis has been interpreted variously as an interethnic civil war or as a rebellion against the traditional authority of some groups over others. Labelling the clashes in these terms, however, may disguise more than it informs, as tradition and its cousin discourses of ethnicity, are socially constructed and politically contested both at local and national levels. In Ghana, the powers of political and traditional leaders overlap and interrelate, making direct competition over access to traditional state structures important to these conflicts. Moreover, since most of Ghana’s conflicts are connected with chiefs, traditional leadership in Ghana has become associated with a combined development and security discourse. The paper draws on interviews with members of the affected ethnic groups conducted in villages in the eastern part of the Northern Region in July and August 2005 and a review of primary and secondary documentary sources to provide a nuanced analysis of the social tensions. It challenges the common view of Ghana as a peaceful country, exempt from ethnic conflict. It also makes the case for alleviating some of the pressures that have caused such communal violence through careful review of traditional institutions and a constructive state presence providing effective security and discursive outlets for disputes.

An Ethnographic Study of Northern Ghanaian Conflicts

An Ethnographic Study of Northern Ghanaian Conflicts
Author: A.K. Awedoba
Publisher: African Books Collective
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2010-10-20
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9988647646
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Conflict in Northern Ghana appears to be increasing in amplitude and frequency and its effects are getting more devastating. It is the view of this book that the Government of Ghana and civil society organisations involved in aspects of conflict management have approached peace issues in the region with an inadequate understanding of the local issues that divide and unite the people, or using sufficient resources to preempt conflict. In 2003 The Mole V summit was held in Damongo to discuss strategic directions for comprehensive development and poverty reduction in Northern Ghana as a mechanism for supporting conflict management. It is the aim of this publication to contribute to the proposed plan by suggesting past and current conflict management resources and mechanisms which could be employed. The suggestions are informed by surveys, which are oulined in the book, of particular conflicts in the three northern Regions of Ghana between 2006 and 2008 - their histories, causes and effects and their resolution.

The Interface of Modern Partisan Politics and Community Conflicts in Africa

The Interface of Modern Partisan Politics and Community Conflicts in Africa
Author: Samuel Nana Abokyi
Publisher:
Total Pages: 21
Release: 2018
Genre: Political violence
ISBN:
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Conflicts are multi causal and remain an inevitable part of human existence, and Africa like other parts of the world has had to grapple with the phenomenon. The Northern Region of Ghana has over the years been a hotbed of conflicts as several communities have gained notoriety for frequent violent disturbances. Though the “North” is not the only place of simmering tensions and conflicts since colonial times, the violent nature and intractability of some conflicts which often make the headlines for obviously “bad” reasons leaves much to be desired This paper examines Northern Ghana’s intractable conflicts many of which have partisan and political undertones, and have served as fodder to exacerbate; chieftaincy succession conflicts, land and boundary disputes, and others that may arise from competing group interests. More importantly, some of these disputes may directly be as a result of struggle for political power or domination. Whilst relying on textual or content analysis of conflicts in Ghana and Africa the author also makes use of, interviews, personal observation and experiences gained from the area under discussion. Resource persons and researchers, some from these conflict areas offered great insight for this write-up.

Threat Narratives, Group Identity and Violence

Threat Narratives, Group Identity and Violence
Author: Clement M. Aapengnuo
Publisher:
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2008
Genre: Dagbani (African people)
ISBN:
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Ghana has a reputation as a peaceful, stable and democratic state in the West African subregion. However, beneath this peaceful image, there are more than 200 internal conflicts around traditional authority (Chieftaincy), land and politics. In the northern part of the country, these conflicts take on ethnic dimensions. Between 1980 and 2002, the three northern regions recorded 26 violent ethnic conflicts. The impact of these conflicts on national and sub-regional security in general and economic growth and development in the three northern regions in particular is very high. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations are frustrated because their efforts at improving the lives of the people are repeatedly disrupted if not destroyed by the cycles of inter ethnic violence. This thesis explores the relationship between value systems and ethnic identity formation and how the difference in value systems influences the salience of identity and conflict. Through narratives from in-depth interviews, the thesis analyzes group identity formation and their impact on conflict. Understanding the role of competing value systems in the formation of salient identity and relations between identity salience and violence will help explain why some ethnic groups are prone to violence in northern Ghana. The research shifts the focus from the use of ethnicity, chieftaincy and land as causal factors of the conflicts to their interpretation, perception and employment in the process of social identity formation, interests and perceptions of the "other". By analysing the role of salient identity in the denigration of others, the thesis explains how through narratives an enemy is created out of the "other" and violence towards them justified.

The Conflict between the Gonja and the Nawuri in Northern Ghana

The Conflict between the Gonja and the Nawuri in Northern Ghana
Author: Hamza Mohammed
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 9
Release: 2019-07-29
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3668989745
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Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Africa, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, language: English, abstract: This text tries to determine what factors accounted for the emergence, escalation and protracted nature of the dispute between the Gonjas and the Nawuris. Moreover, it looks at the efforts that have been made to resolve the conflict and how they have been implemented. This also raises the questions of why the conflict remains intractable notwithstanding attempts made to resolve it and how the conflict can be settled for peaceful co-existence in the area. Conflict is as old as the human society or human race. People have disputed and competed against one another over scarce commodities, land, power, resources, and ideology and sometime religion. Conflict in teams or in groups is inevitable. This means that at any point in time people are bound to disagree over issues. There is no human ability that can predetermine the results of these conflicts. Conflict when not properly addressed may escalate to negative impacts which include civil war, better still if addressed, it can lead to positive relations geared towards development. In view of this, Awedoba defined conflict as a clash of ideas, wills, interests or opinions a relationship between two or more parties that center on differences, disagreements, incompatibilities. Most of these conflicts are within state as opposed to interstate and often occur between ethnic groups. Looking at conflict as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals, there is the need to examine the nature and type of conflict that existed at a particular place within a period of time. To this far, Corser describes conflict as "a struggle over values, claims to status, power, and scarce resources in which the aims of the opposing parties are not only to the desired values but also to neutralize, injure, or eliminate rivals". Most of these conflicts are ethnic in nature which makes people to see themselves as one with common interests and values thereby pushing further.

Traditional Authorities and Land Dispute Management

Traditional Authorities and Land Dispute Management
Author: Dominic Tuobesaane Paaga
Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN: 9783659368417
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Land disputes pose major challenges to land use in Ghana, with many becoming protracted and on occasions fraught with violence, especially in northern Ghana. In Ghana, land dispute resolution largely revolves around the courts, with their attendant challenges. The role of traditional authorities in justice administration has been confined to adjudicating in chieftaincy matters only, though the majority of land disputes occur in customary areas. This book therefore examines the relevance of traditional authorities in land dispute management in the Wa, Wechau and Lambussie traditional areas. The work demonstrates that traditional authorities and traditional dispute resolution methods are still widely preferred due to the following reasons: traditional dispute resolution has legitimacy since it uses community based judicial and control structures; it is more participatory, inexpensive and expeditious. In spite of these, traditional authorities lack the power to enforce decisions from arbitration processes, since these processes are not legally binding. These findings are particularly useful to policy makers, traditional authorities and academics interested in land conflict management.

The Lions of Dagbon

The Lions of Dagbon
Author: Martin Staniland
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008-11-13
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780521101431
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The political conflict that has taken the most violent form and proved costliest in human lives in Ghana in the last half century has been a chieftaincy dispute in the northern kingdom of Dagomba, known as the Yendi skin dispute. The major loss of life took puce in 1969 but the dispute has continued to trouble Ghanaian politics and has affected the careers of national leaders under both civilian and military regimes. It is one of the most complex, explosive and intractable disputes in a country noted for conflicts over chieftaincy. Mr Staniland examines the political history of Dagomba, one of the most important pre-colonial states in what is now Ghana, from its partition between the British and the Germans in 1899. He analyses the attitudes and policies of successive governments towards chieftaincy and `traditionalism', and the effects which outside control has had on dynastic politics.