DECENTRALISE PLANNING FOR PRE-CONFLICT AND POST-CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, BAWKU MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY, GHANA

Abstract

Decentralized governance in Ghana is aimed at spreading development. Such intention to some extent is marred by communal conflicts. A case studied is the Bawku conflict. The Municipal Assembly over the years has put in measures to prevent and mediate the conflict against further violence. The study therefore seeks to find out whether the Municipal Assembly which is the planning authority uses that function to plan to overcome conflict. It is a case study. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select institutions and respondents for interview. The study revealed that the Assembly has not been able to implement its Development Plans. The dynamics of the conflict also indicate that the factions have maintained their opposing positions. Besides, the Assembly has never prepared any conflict management plan to address recurrent conflicts. The study concludes that collaborative approach though difficult, is a better option for conflict management between factions. There will also be the need for the Assembly to be interested in designing conflict management plans, strengthening capacity of the Municipal Planning and Coordinating Unit, capitalization of conflict planned program and adoption of decentralized institutional arrangement for conflict monitoring and evaluation. Such processes are ‘sine qua non’ to pre-conflict and post-conflict prevention.