Abstract:
The study examined the role of traditional authorities in ethnic conflict
management and resolution in the East Gonja and Kpandai districts in the
Northern Region of Ghana. Case study research design was employed for the
study. The study population included chiefs, opinion leaders, youth leaders,
governmental and non-governmental agencies interested in peace building and
development in the two districts. Purposive sampling technique was employed
to sample 28 respondents for the study. Both the primary and secondary data
were used. In-depth interview guides were used in interviewing the
respondents. The contents, case and inductive analyses were adopted in
organising and analysing the data.
The study revealed that the origins of the violent ethnic conflicts
between the historically non-centralised ethnic groups and their centralised
neighbours in the districts are rooted in the colonial legacy and policy, and
strengthened by globalisation. These factors undoubtedly influenced the
conflicts. Most of the actors in the ethnic conflicts in the East Gonja and
Kpandai districts involved all the feuding ethnic groups but politicians and the
elites in the society worsened the situation. The analysis showed that, to be
able to manage and resolve ethnic conflicts effectively, the root causes and the
actors of the conflicts need to be examined. The findings of the study revealed
that state mechanisms have failed in resolving the ethnic conflicts leading to
their recurring. It was recommended that the government should give due
attention to the traditional authorities in ethnic conflicts management and
resolution since the use of state mechanisms alone over the years has proved
to be ineffective, compromised and biased.
