Chieftaincy, land and farmer-herder related issues have been identified as major causes of localised conflicts in some parts of the Upper East Region.
Many communities across the region continue to have unresolved land and chieftaincy issues and the emergence of herders posed significant challenges that threatened Ghana’s peace and stability.
Stakeholders at different fora at Bongo, Bawku West and Garu Districts indicated that the lack of clear succession plan for the chieftaincy institution, undocumented ownership of lands and interactions between farmers and herders continued to breed conflicts in some communities.
The situation is not only leading to loss of lives and property but is threatening the country’s peace, social cohesion and exposing the region to violent extremists.
The stakeholders included traditional and religious leaders, community opinion leaders, women and youth groups, among others.
The fora were organised by the Upper East Regional Peace Council as part of the “Enhancing Social Cohesion and Social Contract through Empowering Women and Youth in Northern Ghana,” project.
It is being rolled out in selected communities in the Bawku West, Garu and Bongo Districts in the Upper East Region.
The project is being funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The project aims to equip the stakeholders with the conflict management and resolution skills such as mediation, negotiation and dialogue, among others to help address localised conflicts.
Mr Ali Anankpieng, the Executive Secretary of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, said engagement and dialogue were major mechanisms to preventing and resolving conflicts, especially at the local level.
He said conflicts had retarded development in so many communities and underscored the need for stakeholders to work together to address the challenges to enhance social cohesion for sustainable development.
“From our interactions with the participants you can clearly see that chieftaincy, land and farmer-herder conflicts continue to be serious in all the three districts and so we hope that through this project they will be empowered to use non-violent means to resolve their differences.
“From our experience we have realised that when people engage or dialogue they get to understand and appreciate each other better,” he said.
Pognaba Felicia Agampoka, a Divisional Queenmother of Feo in the Bongo District, noted during the conflicts it was mostly the women and children who suffered the brunt.
She expressed the hope that the project would not only help to promote social cohesion in the communities but would build their resilience against the potential spillover of violent extremism currently happening in neighbouring countries, particularly Burkina Faso in which Feo community was sharing borders with.
Naba Seidu Alagtaaba, the Chief of Namoo in the Bongo District, commended the Peace Council and its funding agencies for the initiative, adding “I am particularly happy to have been part of this training because it has and would further sharpen my skills in conflict resolution and enable me do my work as a chief more professionally.”
