Chieftaincy Conflicts in Northern Ghana: The Role of Traditional Mechanisms and Diaspora Engagement

Compared to other African countries, Ghana is known as a relatively stable democracy. However, there are various forms of social, political, ethnic, and religious instability that have persisted in Ghana for many decades and posed some risks for the indigenous Ghanaian diaspora. These instabilities are typically categorized as either inter- or intra-ethnic conflicts. The article gives an account of several relevant conflicts in the Northern parts of Ghana that turned into violent clashes. The authors explore the rationale behind these conflicts, as many of them were provoked by contestation for traditional power and authority. The research employs qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and case study by indicating regions prone to chieftaincy conflicts. Eight cases were selected from three regions in Northern Ghana, where such conflicts provoked violent clashes and uprisings in the diaspora, and also may have led to deaths and displacement of people. The research relies on the data from official reports, datasets by international organizations, and academic articles to adopt a comparative perspective. It also examines the strategies of managing, resolving, and transforming the conflicts to identify the combination of factors that could lead to an enduring solution. The article concludes that the integration of traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in combination with community involvement leads to more successful conflict resolution.