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08.12.2015 Feature Article

Civil Society Organisations (COSs) And Peace Building In Ghana

Civil Society Organisations COSs And Peace Building In Ghana
08.12.2015 LISTEN

Ghana is among the few African countries that have not experienced any form of large-scale violence or civil war since independence in March 1957. This is why the country has often been described at both local and the international levels as an oasis of peace and stability in a continent besieged by conflicts. Hence, Ghana is considered one of the most peaceful countries in West Africa, especially, having witnessed the most peaceful political transition in 1992 following the acceptance of democracy.

In addition, the peaceful organisation of the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 general elections has made Ghana a beacon of hope for democracy, good governance, stability and peace in Africa. Aside the peaceful atmosphere enjoyed in Ghana, it has also sought to play an active role in resolving conflicts and keeping peace in the West Africa sub region. For instance, Ghana has been at the forefront of peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Also, the Ghana Armed Forces have been instrumental in peacekeeping assignments in Rwanda, Lebanon and Cambodia. Apart from that, Ghana has allowed and hosted a significant number of refugees from war shattered West African states, including refugees from Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire. It is for this and other reasons why the American Fund for Peace in 2009 described Ghana as the most peaceful and stable country in Africa.

In spite of the international peace acclamation, praises and democracy in the country, Ghana is faced with pockets of relative violence, emanating from ethnic violence, resource based conflict, religious violence, chieftaincy disputes and political mayhem that has claimed many lives, and destroyed several properties. For example, in 2002 alone, several people were murdered in the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict, including the King, Na Ya.

In effect, the government of Ghana spent over seven billion Cedis (US $9 million) to maintain the fragile peace in Dagbon. Also, the Konkomba and Nanumba, and the Dagomba verses Nanumba conflicts in 1994/95 for instance, resulted in the loss of 2000 lives and 18,900 animals, including over 500,000 tubers of yam destroyed, 60,000 acres of crops set on fire.

Additionally, 144 farming villages were burnt, as well as 78,000 people displaced and millions of property belonging to the state and indigenes destroyed because of the conflict. Therefore, there is no denying the fact that, although Ghana is described as a peaceful country, violence occurs time-to-time involving various protagonists, which are ethnic, religious, economic and political in nature.

In an effort to help ensure sustainable peace in violent prone communities in Ghana, the role of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) via peacebuilding agenda cannot be overemphasised. Thus, CSOs have been instrumental in ensuring some level of stability in conflict-shattered areas, especially in northern Ghana where a number of post-independence challenges have conspired to create pockets of relative instability and armed conflict.

The government of Ghana in a bid to resolve some of the conflicts end up prolonging it, due to the perceptions of some feuding parties about the government’s position in the conflict. The situation tends to make CSOs the preferred option for peace mediation in the country. Therefore, many of the conflicts in Ghana have often had to involve the mediation efforts of CSOs/Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to end them since factions often perceive the government not as neutral.

Obviously, in cases where the CSOs intervened, stability prevailed. In fact, their role is particularly unique since they are often seen by factions in a conflict as very neutral and trustworthy. A typical example is the joint efforts of the Permanent Peace Negotiation Team (PPNT) and the Nairobi Peace Initiative (NPI) in Ghana.

Thus, the PPNT made up of a consortium of NGOs and the NPI helped to resolve the long-standing ethnic conflicts between the Konkomba and Nanumba/Dagomba and Gonja and Nawari/Konkomba in northern Ghana. Furthermore, when it was finally realised that the 1994 Nanumba-Konkomba war had engulfed most areas of northern Ghana, including parts of the Brong-Ahafo and the Volta regions, the PPNT ensured that the conflict did not escalate into violence in those areas. In addition, the effort by these two agencies ensured the Kumasi-Accord signed on 30th March 1996, between Dagombas on one hand, and Komkonbas and Nanumbas on the other.

Also the Accord was signed between Komkonbas and Nawuris, between Gonjas and Komkonbas and lastly between Gonjas and Basaris all by the initiatives of PPNT and the NPI. Even though the Nawuris refused to sign any agreement with the Gonjas, at least they recognised the fact that there were differences between them and the Gonjas. This could be the reason why there has not been any war between the Nawuris and the Gonjas since 1995.

The tremendous roles by the CSOs in conflict resolution and peacebuilding has made it an important partner in contemporary global peace efforts. Specifically, the cases of the Bawku chieftaincy conflict, Dagbon chieftaincy conflict and the Alavanyo-Nkonya land dispute, where the government on several occasions intervened to restored peace, but failed, due to the perceptions of being biased against one or more of the warring parties, it was the CSOs that intervened to achieved results.

For example, when (Action Aid Ghana, WANEP, Advocacy Peace Group - IBIS, Catholic Relief Services, etc.,) in the Bawku chieftaincy conflict and the (FOMWAG, UNDP, Community Life Improvement Programme (CLIP) and Ghana Danish Community Association, Committee of four Eminent Chiefs led by Otumfuo, etc.,) in the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict intervened, they helped to ensure relative peace in the area.

In addition, when (Gender and Development Office of the Catholic Diocese of Ho, the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, Paramount chiefs, National Peace Council, Consultative Committees of the Nkonya-Alavanyo, the Catholic Relief Service, UNDP, etc.,) also intervened in the Alavanyo-Nkonya land dispute they helped to build peace and in some cases prevented the conflict from escalating to other areas.

Hence, what is recommended in this article is for CSOs in a collaborative manner involve all stakeholders in peacebuilding, especially government agents, politicians and political party leaders in its pragmatic mediation efforts and peace processes relevant for disabusing the negative thoughts about them (government) as not been neutral in handing mediation issues by factions in the conflict.

In so doing, the government having the adequate resource than most of the CSOs could help ensure sustainable peace in a timely manner.

Abdul Karim Issifu

[email protected]

MPhil (Candidate) University of Cape Coast-IDS

Ghana.

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