Ethnic Factor and Politics in the Asuogyaman District of Ghana

• Main Authors: Kenneth Shelton Aikins, Richard Ametefe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-07-01
• Series: SAGE Open
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017716710

The ethnic factor or ethnicity is noted to play a key role in protracted conflicts, which affect the social and political landscapes of modern Africa. We, therefore, examined the political behaviors in the Asuogyaman District in Ghana to unravel the complexities of cycles of conflict and resulting peace-building strategies. We collected data from 11 purposively sampled key informants and 220 randomly selected respondents using an interview guide and interview schedule, respectively. In sum, the ethnic factor has an indirect effect on political variables in the Asuogyaman District. For instance, the ethnic factor did not openly influence the choice of political party but rather, policy direction did. One major recommendation is that the government and the Asuogyaman District Assembly should put measures in place to ensure that all the ethnic groups are consulted and fairly treated as equal partners in developmental activities. This will result in peaceful coexistence and development.