The Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Organisation (NABOCADO) has warned that development projects can create conflict if not planned with a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and conflict dynamics of the communities they are intended to support. According to NABOCADO, poorly designed interventions can deepen existing tensions and create new divisions. This warning was made as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of Peace. Theophilus Abolga, Director of Justice, Peace and Humanitarian Response at NABOCADO, emphasised the importance of conflict-sensitive development interventions.
Mr Abolga stated that development interventions must be conflict-sensitive from the planning stage to avoid creating divisions within communities. He noted that NABOCADO conducts thorough assessments of the actors, relationships, and potential fault lines within communities before implementing interventions. These assessments help determine who is best placed to lead an intervention, particularly where religious identity, culture, or existing relationships could influence how an organisation or individual is received. This approach enables NABOCADO to ensure that its interventions are effective and sustainable.
Community ownership is also crucial in preventing development interventions from creating unintended tensions, according to Mr Abolga. NABOCADO engages communities from the beginning and establishes local peace structures involving people who understand the culture, relationships, and dynamics within their communities. These local structures are equipped to take the lead in peacebuilding activities, with NABOCADO providing capacity building, monitoring, and technical support. By allowing community structures to take the lead, NABOCADO ensures that peacebuilding initiatives are lasting and sustainable.
The approach adopted by NABOCADO has yielded positive results, with some community peace actors sharing their experiences with neighbouring communities through community engagements and radio discussions. This has extended lessons beyond the areas where interventions initially began, contributing to a broader culture of peace and conflict resolution. Mr Abolga attributed the success of NABOCADO's peacebuilding initiatives to its focus on community ownership and its collaboration with traditional leaders and existing kinship networks.
Traditional leaders and existing kinship networks play a vital role in resolving disputes, according to Mr Abolga. NABOCADO has supported traditional mediation teams to strengthen their capacity to lead peace processes using their understanding of local culture, shared ancestry, and relationships. By working with legitimate community structures, NABOCADO's interventions are able to tap into existing social capital, making them more effective and sustainable.
Mr Abolga urged development organisations to work with legitimate community structures rather than bypass them. He argued that understanding local dynamics and giving communities ownership of interventions can help ensure that development projects contribute to peace instead of creating new sources of conflict. By adopting a conflict-sensitive approach and prioritising community ownership, development organisations can ensure that their interventions have a lasting and positive impact.
The warning by NABOCADO highlights the importance of careful planning and community engagement in development projects. As development organisations continue to implement projects in communities across Ghana, the importance of conflict-sensitive approaches and community ownership cannot be overstated. By prioritising these approaches, development organisations can help ensure that their interventions contribute to peace and stability, rather than creating new sources of conflict.
Key points
- Development projects can create conflict if not planned with a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and conflict dynamics of the communities they are intended to support.
- Community ownership and engagement are crucial in preventing development interventions from creating unintended tensions.
- Understanding local dynamics and giving communities ownership of interventions can help ensure that development projects contribute to peace instead of creating new sources of conflict.
