Thesis title: Politics of Development and the Role of Traditional Chiefs: A Case Study of Land and Natural Resource Management in the Birim North District, Ghana.

Research topic: My research will focus on how traditional leadership and institutions in the management of customary land and natural resources can lead to development. It seeks to find out what kind of traditional institutions, usually under the leadership of a chief, and possibly how their interaction with state institutions can produce public goods and services which are either under provided or not provided at all by the state. The case study area is a district where mining investment is being established, which has implications for how traditional and state institutions manage local resources and deliver services, such as clean water and facilitation of a positive business environment.

General research interests and experience: A professional Land Economist with diverse experiences in land management and negotiation skills, as well as other aspects of development issues in Ghana, with some general knowledge of sub-Saharan Africa. My experiences are drawn from previous work in teaching, research and government institutions, as well as in private consultancies. I have worked extensively with state government and customary institutions on land and mining issues in Ghana. Areas of specialisation and interest include land management and land tenure, property rights, and development of traditional African institutions, especially in the rural and urban fringes.