Unjust systems lead to internal conflicts - Prof. Hagan

Accra (Greater Accra), 19 Nov. 1998 - Professor. George Panyin Hagan, Head of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, yesterday identified the creation of unjust systems, and unequal distribution of resources as the causes of internal power struggle in African states . He said instead of opening up state institutions to all citizens on the basis of equality, many see them as opportunities to lord it over other groups on the basis of religion, cult, class, caste, language or regional location. Prof. Hagan was delivering a lecture titled, "Factors undermining the viability of the state in Africa: internal factors" as part of the 39th anniversary lectures of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra. He said instead of uniting the people, state institutions become agents of division and group competition. "Like dislocations in human resource development, dislocations in material resources also actuate groups to seek their collective interest through force. "Besides poor planning and management strategies, resource dislocations occur through corruption and abuse of power", he added. Prof. Hagan listed human resource development, economic opportunity, dislocation of wealth and poverty as key factors of development which provide material references for disaffected people. He said many political analysts see internal conflicts as part of the ideological differences brought about by the cold war. "Widespread violence and distress have however persisted even after the end of the cold war, indicating that the ideological cloaks of the opposing forces were appropriated to dress up deeper internal causes of conflict." Prof. Hagan observed that drafters of independence constitutions in Africa overlooked the fact that many traditional states within the modern ones would have liked their statehood negotiated and formally integrated under a constitution. Because of this, traditional communities found themselves deprived of direct stakes in the modern state, forcing them to "operate outside the constitution".