THE ROLE OF TRIBAL LEADERS TRADITIONAL LEADERS IN REGULATING LAND USE AND BIODIVERSITY AMONG THE GURUNE- SPEAKING PEOPLE OF THE UPPER EAST REGION IN GHANA

Abstract

Regulating land use and the biodiversity of a region requires lasting accords between those who make the decisions and those who are affected by the rules and regulations. In Africa, these accords depend on the effectiveness of the collective efforts of the representatives of the legal authorities and the civil society (the traditional leaders in the tribal system). In this study, we investigated the role of tribal leaders in conserving biodiversity (which is a base for obtaining accords with statutory regulations), the value of biodiversity for the tribal communities, and the role of the interaction between tribal leaders and legal authorities in successfully implementing the objectives of biodiversity. Successful collaboration requires indigenous regulatory systems to be merged with existing modern or statutory laws to ensure sustainable land use, the conservation of natural resources, and the promotion of biodiversity. To examine this relationship, we conducted in-depth interviews with key stakeholders of the Gurune-speaking people in the Upper East Region of Ghana. We found that the indigenous people still preserve and apply the norms for conserving nature that they inherited. These findings highlighted the importance of including indigenous tribal authorities in planning strategies and developing policies and regulations. This collaboration ultimately creates a harmonious balance between nature and the social well-being of the community.