SUMMARY
Ghana is a West African country that was the first former colony to obtain independence on the African continent. During the decades following independence, there have been multiple coup attempts – some of which succeeded. Furthermore, Ghana's history has been characterized primarily by non-state violence, which reached its peak in 1994 during a conflict between the Dagomba, and its Gonja and Nanumba allies and the Konkomba.
Since 1989, Ghana has experienced the non-state category organized violence, as defined by UCDP.
2025
In 2025, the level of non-state violence increased compared to previous years. The spike was largely driven by the non-state conflict between the two ethnic groups Kusasi and Mamprusi in the Upper East region of Ghana, particularly over the issue of chieftaincy in Bawku town. Additionally, in late August 2025, violence escalated between the Birifor and Gonja tribes over a long-standing land dispute in the Savannah region, resulting in 31 fatalities.
Non-state violence
Since 1989, organized violence in Ghana has been completely driven by developments in non-state violence. A major spike of the non-state violence was the result of the conflict in 1994 between the Dagomba, Gonja, and Nanmumba ethnic groups clashing with the Konkumba ethnic group. Since then, organized violence in the country has continued on relatively low levels, with a few occasional peaks, such as in the early 2000s, 2008, and 2025.
The majority of the non-state organized violence occurred in Ghana’s Northern region. This region is home to a large number of ethnic groups, some of which have clashed repeatedly throughout history. In the early 1990s, non-state conflicts between ethnic groups escalated to previously unseen intensity and violence, resulting in two distinct but interlinked conflicts. First, the 1991-1992 non-state conflict, between Gonja on one side and Nawuri and Konkomba on the other side. The second non-state conflict, called the “Guinea Fowl War”, took place in 1994-1995 between the Konkomba people and a Nanumba, Dagomba and Gonja alliance. The conflict, caused by disagreements over land ownership, recognition and political representation, led to violent clashes that resulted in over 2000 fatalities.
In 2002, a non-state conflict broke out in the northwestern part of the country between the Abudu and Andani clans, both of the Dagomba ethnic group. The conflict regarded a defunct kingship rotation system. In the 2000s, a protracted non-state conflict between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups over a chieftaincy issue in the Upper East region of Ghana escalated and led to deadly clashes on several occasions. The conflict escalated again in 2025 following several years of increasing violence between the fighting groups. The violence was characterized by targeted shootings and ambushes along roads in the Bawku area of the Upper East region.
Pre-1989 conflicts
As the first former colony in sub-Saharan country, Ghana gained independence in 1957. In July 1960, Ghana became a republic, and Kwame Nkrumah won the presidential election that year. Shortly thereafter, Nkrumah was proclaimed president for life, and his party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), became the sole party of the state through a manipulated referendum.
The discontent over Nkrumah’s monopoly of political power set the stage for a successful military coup on 24 February 1966, while Nkrumah was on a visit to China. The army announced it had seized power and had established a National Liberation Council (NLC) under General J.A. Ankrah. Guards of the presidential palace loyal to Nkrumah resisted for two days and it is estimated that 27 persons lost their lives. The broadly supported NLC was composed of four army officers and four police officers who subsequently assumed executive power. The coup-makers of 1966 returned the country to civilian rule through democratic multi-party elections three years after their ascent to power.
The democratic stability did not last long and throughout the 1970s and 1980s, military regimes were the most common form of governance. This era saw the ascent of the leadership figure that came to dominate the Ghanian political scene until 2001, Jerry John Rawlings. He was able to seize power due to his mass appeal and the populace’s weariness of a persisting economic crisis. Rawlings staged a military coup on 31 December 1981, in which the best estimate implies the death of some 50 people. Upon the takeover, Rawlings established the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC). Despite the general popularity of the PNDC regime, the 1980s under Rawlings saw the eruption of at least ten alleged coup attempts. The most notable occurred in June 1983 when a military faction purportedly acting on orders from Lt. Col. Ekow Dennis and Capt. Edward Adjei-Ampofo took control of the Accran radio and declared their intent to topple the regime. The faction was defeated within a couple of hours and some 26 people were killed.
