Chieftaincy, Land Dispute and Violent Conflict in Northern Ghana

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.