The Role of the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana in the Resolution Process of the Nkonya-Alavanyo Conflict

Abstract

This work looked at the roles that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG) played in the resolution process of the Nkonya-Alavanyo conflict. A number of researches have been conducted on this conflict with references to RCC and the EPCG as one of the mediators. Even though Darkwa et al. (2012) and others mentioned the Church in the mediation process, their emphases were not on the churches’ involvement perse. Darkwa et al. wrote on violent conflicts in Ghana with the Nkonya-Alavanyo conflict as one of them and so, did not dwell so much on the mandate of the Church to participate in the conflict resolution. This research used a historical approach and focuses on the RCC and EPCG and their full participation in the resolution of the conflict because of the position of the author in recognising the two selected Christian Churches as key stakeholders in the areas under consideration and therefore, are interested parties in the context. For instance, it was through the efforts of the churches that the people of Nkonya and Alavanyo experienced peace and reconciliation process and were able to interact with each other freely, in 2006, after a long period of hate, antagonism and enmity. The work covered the period between 1983 and 2015, when the conflict escalated severally. The researcher found out that the Nkonya-Alavanyo are predominantly, RC and EPCG and therefore hold the leaders in high esteem. It also found out that the churches, in collaboration with the leaders of the two communities, played an immense role in the resolution process. However, the resolution has come to a stalemate. The researcher recommended that the Church re-invites the parties to revisit the resolution process, for peaceful co-existence, growth and development.