This book was conceived as a testament to the life and times of Mr. Francis Kojo Azuimah - the first Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council (NPC) of Ghana. The late Executive Secretary worked tirelessly not only to pre-empt and manage conflicts, but also drew attention of policy makers to the underlying causes of conflict. Consequently, in all the peace-building efforts that the NPC engaged in during his tenure, the fundamental issues of poverty, inequality and justice were driving concerns.The chapters in this book were written mainly by academics with several years and decades of research and practice in the fields of Peace Studies, Conflict Management and Development Studies. The authors draw attention to local, regional and national attempts at managing conflicts and peace-building and underline the essential roles of justice and stakeholder participation as ingredients to achieve sustainable peace. This is particularly necessary in poor countries/societies where development policies are often skewed in favour of the elite.This book is essential reading for students of Peace Studies, Development Studies, Sociology and Political Science as well as persons interested in conflict and justice in society. The book is eternally dedicated to all freedom fighters and all who work for peace and justice.
