GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

Overtime, socio-economic development has always been marred by inter-communal conflicts, having a negative effect on employment generation, education and small scale businesses. This study focused on inter-communal conflicts and socio-economic development in Iwuochang in Ibeno and Esit Udua in Eket, Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district, Akwa Ibom State. The study set out three research objectives which were to examine the effect of inter-communal conflicts on employment generation, education and small scale enterprises in the affected communities. The study was based on Relative Deprivation theory. Survey research design and descriptive method was adopted as the research design while a sample size of 400 was determined using Taro Yamani formula, the study adopted the Pearson product moment correlation as a method of data analysis. It was discovered among others that the there is a significant negative relationship between inter-communal conflict and employment generation, indicating that the more the conflict the greater the number of persons that will remain unemployed. Other findings revealed that the conflict between the two communities has led to the destructions of both primary and secondary schools, hospitals, churches, farmlands. A continuous increase in the conflict will lead to the destruction of properties leading to underdevelopment of the area. Other findings revealed that the conflict had a significant negative impacts on small and medium scale enterprises in both regions as the business owners could not go about their normal businesses with corresponding negative impact on the socio-economic development of Akwa Ibom State at large. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the Akwa Ibom State Government should come up with security measures and strategies to put an end to the inter-communal conflicts. The strategies will ameliorate the sufferings of persons who have lost their jobs and businesses as a result of the conflicts.