IMPLICATIONS OF COMMUNAL CONFLICTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTED DEVELOPMENT CENTRES IN EBONYI STATE
This study is titled “Implications of Communal Conflicts on Socio-Economic Development of Selected Development Centres in Ebonyi State”. The study sought among other things to: ascertain the extent to which communal conflict has resulted to abandonment of development projects in the affected Development Centres in Ebonyi State; and determine the extent to which communal conflict has hindered consistent growth and development of small- scale businesses in the selected Development Centres in Ebonyi State. Group Theory propounded by Truman (1951) was used as the theoretical framework of the study. Descriptive survey design was adopted to select three (3) Development Centres used for the study. The main instrument for that data collection was a structured questionnaire administered on the 390 respondents of the study. Chi-square statistical tool was adopted as the instrument for data analysis. The paper revealed that communal conflicts optimally resulted to abandonment of projects meant for the development of the communities in the study area; Communal conflicts hinder the growth and development of small-scale businesses in the selected Development Centres in Ebonyi State. The researchers therefore recommended that Government and other relevant stakeholders should regularly engage the affected communities in peace talk to sustain peaceful coexistence in the area. This will go a long way to guarantee political stability and timely completion of development projects in the DCs. Conflicts result to projects discontinuity and abandonment and this can be curtailed through peace education. Small-scale businesses are the engine of socio-economic development. In order to reap the benefits accruable from the growth and development of small-scale businesses in the study area, government should create enabling environment for the businesses to thrive as this will not only engage the youths but also assist in reducing conflicts in the area. There is also need for the government and the stakeholders in the DCs embark on massive youth empowerment programmes to forestall reoccurrence of conflicts in the affected areas.