Chieftaincy Conflicts and Human Security Implications: The Case of the Bimbilla Chieftaincy Conflict in Ghana

Abstract

Chieftaincy is as old as humanity and the first form of governance among African states. Despite the prominence of state power and the strengthening of democratic rule, chieftaincy institutions continue to be extremely relevant. Bimbilla, the study community over the years has witnessed varying degrees of chieftaincy conflicts and has robbed the people of Bimbilla and the entire nation of the needed peace and human security. Though several studies on the conflicts in the area have been conducted by others, the overall effects of conflict on the human security of the people are less interrogated making the current study very necessary. The study examined the implication of the Bimbila chieftaincy conflict on human security, focusing specifically on the economic security, food security, health security, environmental security and personal security. The study was guided by Hobbbes Inherent Theory and Securitization Theory to show how chieftaincy conflicts undermine critical components of human security. The study used a convergent parallel design informed by a mixed-method approach to gain a thorough understanding of the impact of the Bimbilla chieftaincy conflict on human security in the municipality. The study purposely selected 50 individuals whose selection was informed by the principle of saturation. Besides, simple random sampling technique was used to select a cross section of 341 respondents mainly from 12 crop and livestock association. Descriptive and regression analysis were run to establish the association of chieftaincy conflicts and the essential elements of human security. The study found that the Bimbilla chieftaincy conflict has led to significant ramifications across various dimensions of human security (health, personal, environmental, food and economic security). Health security has been compromised due to disrupted healthcare services and infrastructure, contributing to increased vulnerability and decreased well-being among the affected population. Environmental security has suffered from resource depletion and environmental degradation stemming from the conflict's impact on land and natural habitats. Personal security has been profoundly affected, with widespread displacement, violence, and a pervasive sense of insecurity prevalent among the people. Economic security has been undermined, disrupting livelihoods, economic activities, and overall stability in the region. The Bimbilla chieftaincy conflicts were found to have greatly undermined the vitae core of people, construed as human security namely food security, health security, environmental security and economic security. The study concluded that the chieftaincy conflict has differential and significant impacts on the various variables underpinning each essential component of human security as part of recommendation, the regional house of chiefs and the Regional Peace Council have to facilitate conflict resolution workshops and mediation sessions to mitigate tensions and foster reconciliation among conflicting parties.