Pathways for Integrating the Fulbe into Ghana’s National Development Agenda

Ghana remains a stable country guided by the tenets of democratic rule. The 1992 Constitution confers basic fundamental human rights on all Ghanaians irrespective of creed, ethnicity and gender. However, the Fulbe ethnic group is widely discriminated against in the country. Their political rights to inclusion in governance systems are abused with impunity. Their access to health and education is curtailed by various barriers. They face huge barriers in accessing land, water and pasture for their livelihoods. They are stereotyped in all fronts as armed robbers, rapists and cattle rustlers. Their right to cultural inclusion has been threatened by behaviours and sanctions which prevent them from openly manifesting their music and dance in annual festivals. Yet the resilience of the over one million Fulbe in Ghana cannot be ignored. In the midst of political, social, economic and cultural exclusion and human rights violations they remain a force to reckon with contributing to the food and nutrition security of Ghana and a functioning public service. This paper draws on key informant interviews and relevant literature to diagnose the drivers of the Fulbe exclusion in Ghana. It entails an in-depth analysis of the specific barriers to their political, social, economic and cultural integration in Ghana. The paper concludes that, the review and enforcement of human rights legalizations, implementation of inclusive education policies and intensification of zero tolerance for hate speech and stereotypes against the Fulbe are key recommendations to consider.