INTER-COMMUNAL CONFLICTS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AKWA IBOM STATE: A CASE STUDY OF OKOBO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA.

Over time, inter-communal conflicts pose significant threats to sustainable development in every society it occurs which Akwa Ibom State and Okobo Local Government is not an exception. The development of Okobo Local Government has been undermined over the years because of inter-communal conflicts. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the effect of inter-communal conflicts on sustainable development in Okobo Local Government Area. Three research questions and three hypotheses were used in this study. The Economic theory of conflicts and the Socio-Conflicts theory served as the theoretical frameworks to this study. The survey research design was used in the study. The population of the study was 131, 100, which is the total population of Okobo Local Government. Based on this population, a sample size of 399 was determined using Taro Yamane formula. Chi-square statistical tool was used to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed that agricultural activities were affected negatively as production was abandoned and crops destroyed. Secondly, the infrastructures were destroyed and all other infrastructural development projects were halted. Thirdly, education was affected, through under-enrolment of pupils/students in schools in the local Government Area. The study recommended, amongst others, that Okobo Local Government should prioritize providing support programs for agricultural activities to enhance productivity and reduce inflation. Also government should prioritize rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructures in conflicts affected areas, allocate sufficient resources and funding towards repairing of these essential infrastructures to restore functionality and accessibility. Lastly, the government should ensure the rehabilitation of educational facilities and ensure security for these facilities as well as pupils/students in Okobo Local Government Area.