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Daniel Tackie-Aboi and Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu
Regions in Recovering: The Future of Urban Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Virtual 2nd to 18th June, 2021
Paper presented:
Transforming Livelihoods and Land Cover Depletion in Peri-urban Ghana. A Case of Ga Central Municipality
Abstract
The work of human activities and its rapid effects on the land and the environment especially in neighbouring districts around cities like Accra cannot be overlooked. The purpose of the study was to assess the transforming livelihood strategies of residents of Ablekuma, Agape and Gonse. The study also ascertained the effects of the livelihood strategies changes on the extent of land cover changes. The sustainable livelihood and human-environment system concepts were combined to study assets and livelihood strategies changes residents relied on for survival in their communities. A mixed-method approach to research using the cross-sectional and case study designs was applied in the study. Three hundred and nine respondents answered questionnaires and 40 key informants, interviewed in the communities. The main findings of the study were that the dominant land cover in the three communities had gone through changes over the years, from 1991 to 2018. The study concluded that, the shift to other economic activities other than Agriculture is predominant in the study communities. The study policy recommendation is that local assemblies should encourage residents to plant in their homes, a required minimum number of trees to improve the biodiversity of the environment.
The work of human activities and its rapid effects on the land and the environment especially in neighbouring districts around cities like Accra cannot be overlooked. The purpose of the study was to assess the transforming livelihood strategies of residents of Ablekuma, Agape and Gonse. The study also ascertained the effects of the livelihood strategies changes on the extent of land cover changes. The sustainable livelihood and human-environment system concepts were combined to study assets and livelihood strategies changes residents relied on for survival in their communities. A mixed-method approach to research using the cross-sectional and case study designs was applied in the study. Three hundred and nine respondents answered questionnaires and 40 key informants, interviewed in the communities. The main findings of the study were that the dominant land cover in the three communities had gone through changes over the years, from 1991 to 2018. The study concluded that, the shift to other economic activities other than Agriculture is predominant in the study communities. The study policy recommendation is that local assemblies should encourage residents to plant in their homes, a required minimum number of trees to improve the biodiversity of the environment.
• Mensah, B., Darkwa, I. O., Bonful, E. Y., Tuu, M. B., Sanda, M. & Danso-Wiredu, E. Y. (2020). Patterns of Land Use Activities in Ghana’s Secondary Cities. Ghana Journal of Geography. AJOL, 12,
Abstract
Ghana is rapidly urbanizing. This urbanization has resulted in villages growing into towns and towns into urbanized areas. Theories and models have been employed to explain the internal structure of urban areas, especially, with respect to land use variations. These models started with the classical urban land use models in America. Urban scholars in Africa have struggled to fit the development of the African cities into these classical models. They have therefore called for African scholars to develop models for urban land use in Africa. This paper sought to identify the common patterns of land use activities which shape the internal structure of Ghana’s secondary cities. The study employed Geographic Information System (GIS) as a major tool of analysis in explaining the patterns in urban areas. This is augmented with in-depth ground observations of the study areas. The findings of the study showed the absence of homogeneity in most of the sectors and undefined industrial zones as contradictions to the classical models. The study further revealed that residential zones were not fully occupied by either lower income, middle income, or higher income residence. The income groups may only dominate in a given sector. Based on the findings, a common pattern is proposed to represent the land uses within the selected secondary cities in Ghana.
Ghana is rapidly urbanizing. This urbanization has resulted in villages growing into towns and towns into urbanized areas. Theories and models have been employed to explain the internal structure of urban areas, especially, with respect to land use variations. These models started with the classical urban land use models in America. Urban scholars in Africa have struggled to fit the development of the African cities into these classical models. They have therefore called for African scholars to develop models for urban land use in Africa. This paper sought to identify the common patterns of land use activities which shape the internal structure of Ghana’s secondary cities. The study employed Geographic Information System (GIS) as a major tool of analysis in explaining the patterns in urban areas. This is augmented with in-depth ground observations of the study areas. The findings of the study showed the absence of homogeneity in most of the sectors and undefined industrial zones as contradictions to the classical models. The study further revealed that residential zones were not fully occupied by either lower income, middle income, or higher income residence. The income groups may only dominate in a given sector. Based on the findings, a common pattern is proposed to represent the land uses within the selected secondary cities in Ghana.
Danso-Wiredu, E. Y., & Poku, A. (2020). . Family Compound Housing System Losing Its Value in Ghana: A Threat to Future Housing of the Poor, 17,
Abstract
The family compound housing system in Ghana ensures both nuclear and extended family live in the same house and have reciprocal relationships. It is a social safety net that prevents homelessness in Ghana. The rent-free compound housing remains predominant in rural areas and indigenous parts of the cities. However, many Ghanaians prefer to live in single-family houses rather than the family compounds, resulting in a gradual reduction in the number of family compound houses. Based on a study conducted in four communities, the article uses a qualitative approach, with social capital theory as the analytical basis for the research, to investigate why most Ghanaians now wish to live outside their family homes. Based on the findings, the article questions the future of housing the poor in Ghana if the family compound housing system collapses and suggests a rental form of compound housing as a new policy for the state.
The family compound housing system in Ghana ensures both nuclear and extended family live in the same house and have reciprocal relationships. It is a social safety net that prevents homelessness in Ghana. The rent-free compound housing remains predominant in rural areas and indigenous parts of the cities. However, many Ghanaians prefer to live in single-family houses rather than the family compounds, resulting in a gradual reduction in the number of family compound houses. Based on a study conducted in four communities, the article uses a qualitative approach, with social capital theory as the analytical basis for the research, to investigate why most Ghanaians now wish to live outside their family homes. Based on the findings, the article questions the future of housing the poor in Ghana if the family compound housing system collapses and suggests a rental form of compound housing as a new policy for the state.
• Danso-Wiredu, E. Y., & Sanda, M (2021). Environmental Dynamism: Increasing Housing Needs in Urban Ghana and Vegetation Sustainability. Environment, Space, Place, 13,
Abstract
The increasing needs for housing in Ghana are a result of urbanisation which is also a sign of improvement in the socio-economic lives of the people. Building of houses usually replaces prime vegetation land. The rate of indiscriminate devegetation for housing purpose in Ghana is as a result of the lack of a comprehensive land use policy implementation in the country. It is clearly stated in the country’s land use policy that ‘the principle of optimum usage for all types of land uses will be assured by the state and that, the state will ensure every socio economic activity is consistent with sound land use through sustainable land use planning in the long-term. But, evidence in the country is contrary to what is stipulated in the land use policy document. The study therefore, contributes to the environment-spatial land use conflict debate. It does this by focusing on the fast rate at which agricultural land at the fringes of urban Ghana is mainly used for housing purposes. It uses Accra and Tamale as examples to argue that if the content of the land use policy is not implemented to minimise the excessive devegetation for housing, the country stands the chance of losing utterly, its natural vegetation, especially, the forest vegetation. With the help of old maps, GIS and researchers’ observations, the study describes how the land use cover in areas close to the cities of Accra and Tamale has largely been replaced by housing. It ends by advocating sound sustainable housing typologies which will reduce the rate of devegetation in the country..
The increasing needs for housing in Ghana are a result of urbanisation which is also a sign of improvement in the socio-economic lives of the people. Building of houses usually replaces prime vegetation land. The rate of indiscriminate devegetation for housing purpose in Ghana is as a result of the lack of a comprehensive land use policy implementation in the country. It is clearly stated in the country’s land use policy that ‘the principle of optimum usage for all types of land uses will be assured by the state and that, the state will ensure every socio economic activity is consistent with sound land use through sustainable land use planning in the long-term. But, evidence in the country is contrary to what is stipulated in the land use policy document. The study therefore, contributes to the environment-spatial land use conflict debate. It does this by focusing on the fast rate at which agricultural land at the fringes of urban Ghana is mainly used for housing purposes. It uses Accra and Tamale as examples to argue that if the content of the land use policy is not implemented to minimise the excessive devegetation for housing, the country stands the chance of losing utterly, its natural vegetation, especially, the forest vegetation. With the help of old maps, GIS and researchers’ observations, the study describes how the land use cover in areas close to the cities of Accra and Tamale has largely been replaced by housing. It ends by advocating sound sustainable housing typologies which will reduce the rate of devegetation in the country..
Bridging transportation researchers (BTR) conference*Enoch F Sam*Senior Lecturer*Transportation Research Board (TRB)*Virtual*11 August 2020*12 August 2020
Making transport resilient to pandemics*Enoch F Sam*Senior Lecturer*International Road Federation (IRF)*Webinar*25 March 2021*25 March 2021
Women and Transport Africa*Enoch F Sam*Senior Lecturer*Flone Initiative*Virtual*25 November 2020*27 November 2020
Africa’s response to COVID-19 impacts on transport and mobility*Enoch F Sam*Senior Lecturer*International Road Federation and High-Volume Transport*Webinar*29 Mach 2021*29 March 2021
Excellence in Peer Review: How to be an effective peer reviewer (*Enoch F Sam*Senior Lecturer*Taylor and Francis Reviewer Training Network*Webinar*16 July 2021*16 July 2021
Reuben Tamakloe a, Sungho Lim, Enoch F. Sam, Shin Hyoung Park, Dongjoo Park (2021). Investigating factors affecting bus/minibus accident severity in a developing country for different subgroup datasets characterised by time, pavement, and light conditions. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 159,
Abstract
Developing countries are primarily associated with poor roadway and lighting infrastructure challenges, which has a considerable effect on their traffic accident fatality rates. These rates are further increased as bus/minibus drivers indulge in risky driving, mainly during weekends when traffic and police surveillance is low to maximise profits. Although these factors have been mentioned in the literature as key indicators influencing accident severity of buses/minibuses, there is currently no study that explored the complex mechanisms underpinning the simultaneous effect of pavement and light conditions on the generation of accident severity outcomes while considering weekly temporal stability of the accident-risk factors. This study seeks to investigate the variations in the effect of contributing factors on the severity of bus/minibus accidents in Ghana across various combinations of pavement and light conditions and to identify the exact effects of weekdays and weekends on severity outcomes using a random parameter ordered logit model with heterogeneity in the means to account for unobserved heterogeneity in the police-reported data. Preliminary analysis demonstrated that accident-risk factors used in the models were temporally unstable, warranting the division of the data into both weekend and weekday time periods. A wide variety of factors such as sideswipes, median presence, merging, and overtaking had significantly varying effects on bus/minibus accident severities under different combinations of pavement and light conditions for both weekdays and weekends. Insights drawn from this study, together with the policy recommendations provided, can be employed by engineers and policymakers to improve traffic safety in developing nations.
Developing countries are primarily associated with poor roadway and lighting infrastructure challenges, which has a considerable effect on their traffic accident fatality rates. These rates are further increased as bus/minibus drivers indulge in risky driving, mainly during weekends when traffic and police surveillance is low to maximise profits. Although these factors have been mentioned in the literature as key indicators influencing accident severity of buses/minibuses, there is currently no study that explored the complex mechanisms underpinning the simultaneous effect of pavement and light conditions on the generation of accident severity outcomes while considering weekly temporal stability of the accident-risk factors. This study seeks to investigate the variations in the effect of contributing factors on the severity of bus/minibus accidents in Ghana across various combinations of pavement and light conditions and to identify the exact effects of weekdays and weekends on severity outcomes using a random parameter ordered logit model with heterogeneity in the means to account for unobserved heterogeneity in the police-reported data. Preliminary analysis demonstrated that accident-risk factors used in the models were temporally unstable, warranting the division of the data into both weekend and weekday time periods. A wide variety of factors such as sideswipes, median presence, merging, and overtaking had significantly varying effects on bus/minibus accident severities under different combinations of pavement and light conditions for both weekdays and weekends. Insights drawn from this study, together with the policy recommendations provided, can be employed by engineers and policymakers to improve traffic safety in developing nations.
