Ars.els-cdn.com
List of Annexes
ANNEX A: Detailed description of land use planning in Ghana
ANNEX B: Questionnaire design for expert interviews on urban and peri-urban land use planning in Ghana
ANNEX C: Literature review of patterns and drivers of urban development as well as opportunities and challenges of land use planning in the respective study areas
ANNEX D: Statements from experts regarding patterns and drivers of urban development
ANNEX E: Statements from experts regarding opportunities and challenges of land use planning in the study areas
ANNEX A: Detailed description of land use planning in Ghana
Organisation of the current decentralised land use planning system in Ghana
Between 1992 and 1994, during the introduction of democratic governance, Ghana restructured its development planning system to a decentralised form where more political, economic, planning and administrative power was transferred from the national level to the district level to facilitate the direct exchange between governmental ideologies and public concerns. With the attempt for local participation, acceptance of programmes and projects as well as effective use and management of local resources were anticipated. The main interaction for land use planning takes place between the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Sectoral Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Regional Planning Coordinating Units (RPCUs) and District assemblies (DAs) in a horizontal as well as vertical structure (see Figure Annex A1; NDPC, 2015). The NDPC coordinates all national-level development plans while providing guidelines for the district development plans in order to obtain consistent district development plans streamlined with the overall policies and strategies of the national development plan. Sector plans from various ministries with contributions from cross-sectoral planning groups are integrated into the broad national development plan. The work of the ministries and agencies is coordinated by the Regional Planning Coordinating Units located in each of the 10 administrative regions of Ghana. The RPCUs in turn supervise the development of district-level plans to ensure their consistency with national development policies (Botchie, 2000). The RPCU is also mandated to provide information and data necessary to prepare district level development plans. Further functions include the approval of building by-laws and the approval of development permits. At the final level of decentralised planning are the District Assemblies (DAs). These have legislative, executive and deliberative powers to, for example, change local taxes, laws and implement projects. A third of the members is selected by national government consultation with the chiefs and interest groups in the district. The other part is elected by the people of the electoral district. The DA also has a District Chief Executive who is nominated by the President and elected by two-thirds of all members. The Town, Zonal Area Councils and Unit Committees have in part representatives from the DA and also fulfil tasks delegated by the assemblies. They do not have legislative or rating powers (CLGF, 2016).
Environmentally sensitive issues in land use planning are included in the decentralised system but spread in accordance with departmental responsibilities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the main environmental institution with an advisory role on environmental regulation, and supervises the implementation of environmental policies. The EPA is again supervised by the Ministry of Environment, Science & Technology (MEST). The Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD), established in 1945 with the mandate for planning and managing structural growth and development of villages, towns and cities, is also supervised by MEST.
Other ministries concerned with environmental issues are the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MoFA), Ministry of Energy, and Ministry of Lands, Forests & Mines (MLF). The MLF includes the Lands Commission and Forestry Commission. The Wildlife Division is headed by the Forestry Commission. Legally, each DA has a set of subcommittees that deals with environmental issues (Wiggins et al., 2004).
[pic]
Figure Annex A1: Ghana´s organisation of the decentralised land use planning system; arrows show exchange streams between institutions; simplified from the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC, 2015).
Land Administration Project and Spatial Development Frameworks
The Land Administration Project (LAP), financed by the World Bank, documents information on land, such as location, size, improvements, ownership and value. The project under LAP-1 (2006-2010) and recent LAP-2 (2011 ongoing) have identified and worked with stakeholders (individuals (families and clans), real estate developers, public institutions) with vested interest and information on land use and ownership rights with consolidated and approved institutional reforms to ensure efficient management and utilization of land and its resources (Karikari, 2006).
Under the current Land Administration Project (LAP-2, 2011-2016), selected structural and local plans for urban development have to be prepared to ensure sustainable use of land-related resources at all levels of planning (figure Annex A2). While such plans have been developed for the Western Region (WRSDF, 2012), similar preparations are currently underway for the first time in northern Ghana. High expectations exist for the Spatial Development Frameworks (SDF) (Adarkwa, 2012). The SDF needs to provide the needed spatial solutions to reach defined social, economic and environmental policies of Ghana while considering the spatial implications of the accompanying forms of development (e.g. water, energy and transportation). The National Spatial Development Framework (NSDF) to be developed by the National Development Planning Commission with technical implementation support from the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) will incorporate spatial development frameworks developed at the regional, district and local levels of planning. TCPD supports the ministerial collaboration with the National Development Planning Commission in formulating and reviewing national policy for the development, improvement and management of human settlements. The structure plan, designed to cover a period between 10 and 15 years, is a dimensionally accurate spatial plan of cities and towns in the selected districts for present and future development. It also considers peri-urban areas and applies requisite zoning standards. Local plans operate at neighbourhood and sector levels or in areas of special interest in the Structure Plan. For individual plots, it defines the precise land uses, size and position of buildings and construction restrictions (TCPD, 2014).
[pic]
[pic]
Six ministerial institutions which deal with land administration are involved in the LAP. They include the Lands Commission, the Land Title Registry, the Survey Department, the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, the Land Valuation Board and the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD). While all institutions at the national level are headed by the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines, the TCPD is headed by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology at the national level, and at the regional level by the Regional Coordinating Councils. Despite being accredited for ensuring that spatial planning forms the focus of the decentralisation process, TCPD lacks requisite resources, personnel and equipment for performing its functions (Botchie, 2000).
The enactment of the proposed Land Use Planning Bill under LAP-2 is expected to harmonize current multiplicity of legal regulations and policies on land use planning and provide solutions to the identified challenges of TCPD. With the new law, TCDP will be upgraded into an authority, with additional powers to regulate, sanction, and monitor bodies (individuals and institutions) who flout planning laws (Parliament of Ghana, 2016).
References of Annex A:
Adarkwa, K. K. (2012). The changing face of Ghanaian towns. African Review of Economics and Finance 4(1). Retrieved from –
Botchie, G. (2000). Local Strategic Planning and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Rural District Planning in Ghana: A Case Study. Environmental Planning Issues, 21, Institute of Statistical, Social & Economic Research (ISSER). Retrieved from –
CLGF (2016). The local government system in Ghana. Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF). Retrieved from—
Kasanga, K., & Kotey, N. (2001). Land Management in Ghana: Building on Tradition and Modernity. London: International Institute for Environment and Development. Retrieved from –
NDPC (2015). NDPC: Together we build… National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). Accra, Ghana
Parliament of Ghana (2016). Land Use And Spatial Planning Bill 2015. Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from –
TCPD (2014). Homepage of the Town and Country Planning Department. Ghana Land Administration Project II. Preparation of Land Use Plans. Retrieved from –
Wiggins, S., Marfo, K. & Anchirinah, V. (2004). Protecting the Forest or the People? Environmental Policies and Livelihoods in the Forest Margins of Southern Ghana. World Development, 32(11), 1939–1955. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2004.05.008
Wrsdf (2012). Western Region Spatial Development Framework. Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, Town and Country Planning Department. Accra, Ghana.
ANNEX B: Questionnaire design for expert interviews on urban and peri-urban land use planning in Ghana
Name:
Position (institution, department):
Day, location, time and duration of interview:
Remarks (e.g. if the person was distracted; if another person was in the room, etc.):
Questions
1. What is your understanding of land use planning (Definition)?
2. What is your understanding of sustainable land use planning (Definition)?
o And could you name a project in the region (district or regional level – depends on the specific respondent) which can be declared as being based on sustainable land use planning (further elaboration)
3. How would you define the concept: urban and peri-urban area? What are the key characteristics which guide the spatial delineation of urban and peri-urban areas in your district?
4. What are the processes of land use planning at the district level (land acquisition, consultation with local institutions, etc.)?
o What are the major land use priorities for your districts?
o How does this priority take centre stage in the land use planning process?
o Is there an environmental impact analysis or feasibility study conducted as input into land use planning?
5. How does land use planning at the local level differ from structural and regional land use planning?
o What major processes are followed to integrate new land use plans alongside existing spatial development?
6. How does land acquisition challenge the land use planning process in your area?
o Has the Land Administration Project been a good approach for acceleration of land acquisition and improvement of Ghana’s land use planning?
7. With the current focus on land use planning in the urban area, do you anticipate that in the future, land use planning will be extended to all areas (not only urban) in Ghana?
8. What are the key spatial explicit determinants of spatial growth patterns in your district? (E.g. do roads, economic centres, schools, and water bodies influence spatial growth?)
o How do spatial planning strategies factor into natural environment/entities in the planning process?
o Do they consider environmentally sensitive areas in their planning process?
o If yes: how is it integrated into the planning process?/If not: how could it be integrated into the planning process?
9. Identify the key traditional planning approaches integrated in the modern practice.
o How does the current land use planning deviate from traditional planning approaches in its current context?
o How does the current land use planning system integrate traditional planning approaches in its current context?
10. Who are the main stakeholders in the land use planning process? Do you think local authorities and communities are involved in the development of land use plans?
11. What are the main obstacles that hinder effective land use planning?
Identify some land use planning bylaws currently in operation in your district. What could be the reason for the high or low adoption rate of land use planning bylaws (=regulations)?
12. What feasible measures (under the current conditions) could improve land use planning in Ghana?
ANNEX C: Literature review of patterns and drivers of urban development as well as opportunities and challenges of land use planning in the respective study areas
|Analysed topic |Keywords |Literature |
| | |Bolgatanga area |Takoradi area |Ghana in general (only |
| | | | |relevant with low or no |
| | | | |data on local level) |
|Patterns of urban |Urban sprawl |Lund (2006), GoG (2010) |Enough literature, e.g. World Bank |Sufficient literature |
|development | | |Group (2015), Songsore (2010), |available |
| | | |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio (2015), Owusu &| |
| | | |Afutu-Kotey (2010) | |
| |Land fragmentation |Dittoh, (2002), Poku-Boansi & |Obeng-Odoom (2015) | |
| | |Amoako (2015) | | |
| |Scattered small settlement |BMA (2015), Lund (2006) |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| |units (for RS: < 500 m²) | |(2014), UN-Habitat (2011), STMA | |
| | | |(2013) | |
| |Scattered large settlement |- |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| |units (for RS: > 10.000 m²) | |(2014), UN-Habitat (2011), STMA | |
| | | |(2013) | |
|Drivers of urban |Population growth |Laube & Agyare, (2007), Braimoh & |Otsuka et al. (1998), GSS (2014b), |Sufficient literature |
|development | |Vlek (2005), Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |Stemn & Agyapong (2014), ISSER |available |
| | |(2015), Owusu (2009a), Adarkwa |(2007), Potts (2013), Yalley et al. | |
| | |(2012), GSS (2014a), Agyemang |(2010), Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015) | |
| | |(2013), Ampofo et al. (2015) | | |
| |Roads |Braimoh & Vlek (2005) |Stemn & Agyapong (2014), Obeng-Odoom| |
| | | |(2015) | |
| |Markets (trade) |Braimoh & Vlek (2005), Owusu (2009b),|Codjoe et al. (2014), Stemn & | |
| | |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio (2015), Codjoe |Agyapong (2014), Obeng-Odoom (2015),| |
| | |et al. (2014) |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015) | |
| |Mining of gold, stones or |Agyemang (2010), Owusu (2009b) |AWDA (2014), Rocha (2012), (Owusu | |
| |sand | |(2005) for WR but not in our study | |
| | | |area and was not counted) | |
| |Agriculture |Owusu (2009b), Adanu et al. (2013) |Controversial: Obuobie & Sarpong | |
| | |Controversial: Braimoh & Vlek (2005),|(2005), ISSER (2007), Manu (2011) | |
| | |Akudugu (2013) | | |
| |Governmental buildings and |Ampofo et al. (2015), Controversial: |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015), Codjoe |Owusu, (2005), Owusu & |
| |staff accommodations |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio (2015), Codjoe |et al. (2014) |Oteng-Ababio (2015) |
| | |et al. (2014), Lund (2006) | | |
| |Customary land tenure |Dietz et al. (2013), Lund (2006), |- | |
| | |Anaafo (2015) | | |
| |Educational facilities |Controversial: Dietz et al. (2002), |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| | |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015), Akudugu |(2014), UN-Habitat (2011), STMA | |
| | |(2013), Codjoe et al. (2014) |(2013), Codjoe et al. (2014), | |
| | | |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015) | |
| |Strategic location |Controversial: Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| | |(2015), Dickson (1968), |(2014), UN-Habitat (2011), STMA | |
| | |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015) |(2013), Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015)| |
| |Heavy industry and worker´s |- |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio (2015), Eduful &| |
| |accommodations | |Hooper (2015), Songsore (2010), | |
| | | |STMA (2013), Stemn & Agyapong (2014)| |
| |Real estates and hotels |- |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| | | |(2014), UN-Habitat (2011), STMA | |
| | | |(2013), Obeng-Odoom (2015) | |
| |Infrastructural development |Controversial: Dietz et al. (2004), |Poku-Boansi & Amoako (2015) | |
| |in general (electricity, |Agyemang (2013), Poku-Boansi & |Controversial: Somiah et al. (2015), | |
| |piped water, hospitals) |Amoako (2015), Akudugu (2013), GSS |Awuah et al. (2014), UN-Habitat | |
| | |(2014a) |(2011), STMA (2013), Owusu & | |
| | | |Afutu-Kotey, (2010), ISSER (2007) | |
| |Changing lifestyle |- |Obeng-Odoom (2015) | |
|Challenges for |Customary land tenure |Bugri (2012b), Agyemang (2013), Lund|Bugri (2012b), Arko-Adjei (2011), |Sufficient literature |
|urban and | |(2006), Blench (2006) |Yalley et al. (2010) |available, e.g. Blocher |
|peri-urban land | | | |(2006), Gambrah |
|use planning (LUP)| | | |(2002), Tonah (2005), |
| | | | |Yeboah & Obeng-Odoom |
| | | | |(2010), Twerefou et al.|
| | | | |(2011) |
| |Lacking participation of |Controversial: Akudugu (2013) |Owusu & Afutu-Kotey (2010) |Sufficient literature |
| |people | | |available, e.g Yeboah & |
| | | | |Obeng-Odoom (2010), |
| | | | |Ahwoi (2010) |
| |Lacking communication between|- |Somiah et al. (2015), Awuah et al. | |
| |industry and government | |(2014), Owusu & Afutu-Kotey (2010) | |
| |Distrust in government |Agyemang (2012) |Somiah et al. (2015), Owusu & | |
| | | |Afutu-Kotey (2010) | |
| |Governmental decentralisation|Controversial: Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |Controversial: Owusu & Afutu-Kotey |Controversial: Owusu |
| | |(2015), Michael (2012), Akudugu |(2010), Owusu (2004) |(2005), Boamah & Amoako|
| | |(2013) | |(2013), Ahwoi (2010), |
| | | | |Owusu (2009a) |
| |Joint planning across |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio (2015), Michael|Owusu & Afutu-Kotey (2010), Owusu |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |
| |district borders |(2012) |(2004) |(2015) |
| |Lacking law enforcement |Michael (2012) |Owusu & Afutu-Kotey (2010), Osumanua| |
| | | |(2010) | |
| |Lacking financial capacity |Michael (2012), Akudugu (2013) |Controversial: Arko-Adjei (2011), |Sufficient literature, |
| | | |Global Communities (2015), STMA |e.g. Karikari et al. |
| | | |(2013), CRC (2011); Owusu & |(2003), Ahwoi (2010), |
| | | |Afutu-Kotey (2010) |Fuseini & Kemp (2015), |
| | | | |World Bank Group (2015),|
| | | | |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |
| | | | |(2015) |
| |Funding for urban LUP from |- |Obeng-Odoom (2015) | |
| |NGOs and/or industry (biased)| | | |
|Opportunities of |Land Administration Project |Controversial: Quan et al. (2008), |Controversial: GoG (2007) |World Bank Group (2015),|
|urban and | |Bugri (2012a), Anaafo (2015), GoG | |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |
|peri-urban LUP | |(2007) | |(2015) |
| |Land Use Bill |- |GoG (2012) |Fuseini & Kemp (2015), |
| | | | |Duncan et al. (2013) |
| |National and Regional Spatial|- |Owusu & Afutu-Kotey (2010), TCPD |Owusu & Oteng-Ababio |
| |Development Framework | |(2012) |(2015) |
| |Public-Private-Partnerships |- |Controversial: Owusu & Afutu-Kotey |Helmsing (2003), World |
| | | |(2010), Ayee & Crook (2003) |Bank Group (2015) |
| |Awareness raising and local |Bugri (2012b) |Controversial: Owusu & Afutu-Kotey | |
| |participation | |(2010), Rocha (2012) not directly | |
| | | |urban | |
| |Tendency towards multi-storey|- |Ahadzie (2016) | |
| |structures | | | |
We mean by “controversial” that we found statements for and against the findings from literature; marked as “?” in Table 6a and b.
References of Annex C:
Adanu, S. K., Mensah, K. M., & Adanu, S. K. (2013). Enhancing Environmental Integrity in the Northern Savanna Zone of Ghana: A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach. Journal of Environment and Earth Science 3(5), 67-77.
Adarkwa, K. K. (2012). The changing face of Ghanaian towns. African Review of Economics and Finance 4(1). Retrieved from -
Agyemang, I. (2010). Population dynamics and health hazards of small-scale mining activity in the Bolgatanga and Talensi-Nabdam districts of the upper east region of Ghana. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 3(10).
Agyemang, I. (2012). Assessing the driving forces of environmental degradation in Northern Ghana: Community truthing approach. African Journal of History and Culture (AJHC), 4(4), 59-68.
Agyemang, I. (2013). Environmental degradation and assessment: A survey of the literature. International Journal of Educational Research and Development, 2(2), 32-40.
Ahadzie, D. K. (2016). The economic, technological and structural demands of the construction industry in emerging markets south of the Sahara- a case study of Ghana. In R. T. Abdulai, F. Obeng-Odoom, E. Ochieng, & V. Maliene. (Eds.), Real Estate, Construction and Economic Development in Emerging Market Economies. Routledge, Abingdon.
Ahwoi, K. (2010). Local Government and Decentralization in Ghana. Unimax Macmillan, Accra, Ghana. Pages 282.
Akudugu, J. A. (2013). Organising and Implementing Local Economic Development Initiatives at the District level in Ghana. Dissertation. Philosophical Faculty, University of Bonn, Germany.
Arko-Adjei, A. (2011). Adapting land administration to the institutional framework of customary tenure: The case of peri-urban Ghana. Thesis. International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Enschede.
Ampofo, S., Kumi, E., & Ampadu, B. (2015). Investigating Solid Waste Management in the Bolgatanga
Municipality of the Upper East Region, Ghana. Environment and Pollution, 4(3).
Anaafo, D. (2015). Land Reforms and Land Rights Change: An Ethnographic Case Study of Land Stressed Groups in the Nkoranza South Municipality of Ghana. Land Use Policy 42, 538-546. doi - 10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.09.011
AWDA (2014). The composite budget of the Ahanta West District Assembly for the 2014 fiscal year.
Ahanta West District Assembly (AWDA).
Awuah, B. K. G., Hammond, F. N., Lamond, J., & Booth, C. (2014). Benefits of urban land use planning in Ghana. Geoforum, 51, 37-46.
Ayee, J., & Crook, R. (2003). “Toilet Wars”: Urban Sanitation Services and the Politics of Public-Private Partnerships in Ghana. IDS Working Paper 213. Sussex: IDS.
Blench, R. (2006). Working paper: background conditions in Upper East region, Northern Ghana, 2005. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Retrieved from -
Blocher, J. (2006). Building on custom: land tenure policy and economic development in Ghana. Yale Human Rights and Development, 9.
BMA (2015). The composite budget of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly for the 2015 fiscal year. Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly (BMA).
Boamah, E. F., & Amoako, C. (2013). Regionalism and Urban Development Planning in Africa: Towards A Collaborative Framework for Decentralized Planning in Ghana. Developing Country Studies, 9.
Braimoh, A. K., & Vlek, P. L. (2005). Land-Cover Change Trajectories in Northern Ghana. Environmental Management, 36(3), 356–373.
Bugri, J. T. (2012a). Sustaining customary land secretariats for improved interactive land governance in Ghana. World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty. Washington, D.C.
Bugri. J. T. (2012b). Final Report: Improving Land Sector Governance in Ghana. Implementation of the Land Governance Assessment Framework. World Bank. Retrieved from -
Codjoe, S. N .A., Badasu, D. M., & Kwankye, S. O. (2014). Population Studies: Key Issues and Contemporary Trends in Ghana. Regional Institute for Population Studies. Social Sciences Series 5. Sub-Saharan Publishers. Accra, Ghana.
CRC (2011). Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Initiative for the Western Region. Semi-Annual Report. Coastal Resources Center (CRC), University of Rhode Island. USAID Ghana. 71pages. Retrieved from -
Dickson, K. B. (1968). Background to the Problem of Economic Development in Northern Ghana. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 58, 686-696.
Dietz, T., Geest, K. V., & Obeng, F. (2013). Local perceptions of development and change in Northern Ghana. In J. Yaro (Ed.), Rural development in Northern Ghana. Nova Science Publishers, New York.
Dietz, T., Millar, D., Dittoh, S., Obeng, F., & Ofori-Sarpong, E. (2004). Climate and Livelihood Change in North East Ghana. In A. J. Dietz, R. Ruben, & A. Verhagen (Eds.), The Impact of Climate Change on Drylands, with a Focus on West Africa. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht - Boston - London. Environment and Policy Series 39:149-172.
Dietz, T., Millar, D., & Obeng, F. (2002). By the grace of god, the day will come when poverty will receive the final blow- the impact of NGOs supported by Dutch co-financing agencies on poverty reduction and regional development in the Sahel. Northern Ghana Report.
Dinye, R. D. (2006). Economies of private sector participation in solid waste management in Takoradi - a Ghanaian city. Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana).
Dittoh, S. (2002). Land tenure, traditional institutions and sustainable development in northern Ghana within the context of the national land policy. Keynote address delivered at a LandNet (Ghana) workshop in Bolgatanga.
Duncan, J., Lufkin, M., & Gaafar, R. (2013). The Land Bill (Draft 3): Analysis and Policy. Recommendations. Report produced as part of the Land Access and Tenure Security Project (LATSIP). Retrieved from -
Eduful, A., & Hooper, M. (2015). Urban Impacts of Resource Booms: the Emergence of Oil-Led Gentrification in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. Urban Forum, 26(3), 283-302.
Fuseini, I., & Kemp, J. (2015). A review of spatial planning in Ghana’s socio-economic development trajectory: A sustainable development perspective. Land Use Policy, 47, 309–320.
Gambrah, A. (2002). Improving Land Transfer Procedures in Ghana. Journal of Science and Technology, 22 (1, 2 & 3), Kumasi, Ghana.
Global Communities (2015). A Case Study of Global Communities’ work with the Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assemblies in Ghana. IncluCity’s Virtuous Cycle. Global Communities Report. Retrieved from -
GoG (2007). National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council. Second Annual Report 2007. Progress in implementation of the National Programme of Action. Government of Ghana (GoG), Accra, Ghana.
GoG (2010). Medium-Term National Development Framework: Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), 2010-2013. Volume 1: Policy Framework. Final Draft. Government of Ghana (GoG). National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).
GoG, (2012). National Urban Policy Framework. Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Government of Ghana (GoG), Accra.
GSS (2014a). 2010 Population and Housing Census. District Analytical Report. Bolgatanga Municipality. Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) Accra.
GSS (2014b). 2010 Population and Housing Census. District Analytical Report. Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan. Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Accra.
Helmsing, A. H. J. (2003). Local economic development: new generations of actors, policies and instruments for Africa. Public Administration and Development. A summary report prepared for the UNCDF symposium on Decentralization Local Governance in Africa.
ISSER (2007). Ahanta West District- Human Development Report 2007. Vulnerability and the Attainment of the MDGs at the local level. Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER).
Karikari, I., Stillwell, J., & Carver, S. (2003). Land administration and GIS: The case of Ghana. Progress in Development Studies, 33, 223-242.
Laube, W., Le, Q. B., & Agyare, W. (2007). Development Options for the Sustainable Use of Land and Shallow Groundwater in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Multi-stakeholder Workshop organized by GLOWA-VOLTA Project (GVP).
Lund, C. (2006). Who owns Bolgatanga? A story of inconclusive encounters. In R. Kuba & C. Lentz (Eds.), Land and the Politics of Belonging in West Africa. Brill Academic Publishers, Incorporated, Leiden. Pages 77-98.
Manu, D. A. K. (2011). The Emerging oil industry in Ghana: Socio-economic and Environmental Impact on the people of Cape Three Points. Master thesis. Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), Department of International Environment and Development Studies.
Michael, A. (2012). Assessing the source and sustainability of funding to assemblies for local development: comparative analysis of three selected metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana. Master of Science in development Policy and Planning. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Obeng-Odoom, F. (2015). Sustainable Urban Development in Africa? The Case of Urban Transport in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. American Behavioral Scientist, 59(3), 424-437.
Obuobie, E., & Sarpong, E. (2005). General overview of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture in the Cape Coast and Takoradi Municipalities. Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) Studies. IWMI West Africa (Ghana). Retrieved from -
Osumanua, I. K. (2010). Financing Housing Improvement in Urban Ghana: Experiences from the Rental Sector in Accra and Takoradi. Ghana Journal of Geography, 2.
Otsuka, K., Quisumbing, A.R., Suyanto, S. Aidoo, J. B., & Payongayong, E. (1998). Women's Land Rights and Agroforestry Development in the Transition to Individual ownership: A comparative study from Western Ghana and Sumatra. International Food Policy Research Institute & Tokyo Metropolitan University.
Owusu, G. (2004). Small Towns and Decentralised Development in Ghana: Theory and Practice. Africa Spectrum, 39(2), 165-195.
Owusu, G. (2005). Small Towns in Ghana: Justifications for their Promotion under Ghana's Decentralization Programme. African Studies Quarterly, 8(2), 48-69.
Owusu, G. (2009a). Internal Boundaries and District Administration: A Challenge to Decentralization and District Development in Ghana. Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography, 91(1), 57-71.
Owusu, A. B. (2009b). Detecting and quantifying the extent of desertification and its impact in the semi-arid Sub-Saharan Africa: A case study of the Upper East Region, Ghana. Dissertation. Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences, George Mason University.
Owusu, G., & Afutu-Kotey, R. L. (2010). Poor Urban Communities and Municipal Interface in Ghana: A Case Study of Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. African Studies Quarterly, 12(1).
Owusu, G., & Oteng-Ababio, M. (2015). Moving Unruly Contemporary Urbanism Toward Sustainable Urban Development in Ghana by 2030. American Behavioral Scientist, 59(3), 311-327.
Poku-Boansi, M. & Amoako, C. (2015). Dimensions of spatial inequalities in Ghanaian cities. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 8(5), 131-142. doi - 10.5897/JGRP2014.0477
Potts, D. (2013). Rural-Urban and Urban-Rural Migration Flows as Indicators of Economic Opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Do the Data Tell Us? Working paper. Migrating out of Poverty.
Quan, J., Ubink, J., & Antwi, A. (2008). Risks and opportunities of state intervention in customary land management: Emergent findings from the Land Administration Project Ghana. In M. J. Ubink, & K. S. Amanor (Eds.), Contesting Land and Custom in Ghana. State, Chief and the Citizen. Leiden University Press.
Rocha, A. (2012). “Faith In Action” Faith Based Action For Creation Care In Coastal Communities Of Western Region. Accra, Ghana. Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island. USAID Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance Program for the Western Region of Ghana. 88 pages.
Somiah, M. K., Osei-Poku, G., & Aidoo, I. (2015). Relative Importance Analysis of Factors Influencing Unauthorized Siting of Residential Buildings in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana. Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research 3, 117-126. doi -10.4236/jbcpr.2015.33012
Songsore, J. (2010). The Urban Transition in Ghana: Urbanization, National Development and Poverty Reduction. Study Prepared for the IIED as part of its Eight Country Case Studies on Urbanization. Retrieved from - on 04/06/12
Stemn, E., & Agyapong, E. (2014). Assessment of Urban Expansion in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana Using Remote-Sensing and GIS Approach. International Journal of Science and Technology, 3(8).
STMA (2013). Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly City Spatial Development Plan (2010 – 2013). Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA). Retrieved from -
TCPD (2012). Western Region Spatial Development Framework. Republic of Ghana; Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology; Town and Country Planning Department and Western Region Co-ordinating Council.
Tonah, S. (Ed.). (2005). Fulani in Ghana- Migration History, Integration and Resistance. Accra, Ghana - Yamens Press Limited. Pages 331.
Twerefou, D. K., Osei-Assibey, E., & Agyire-Tettey, F. (2011). Tenure Security, Investments and the Environment in Ghana. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 3(6), 261-273.
UN-Habitat (2011). Ghana Housing Profile, 2011. Sponsored by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
WATERAID (2009). A study on land tenure in urban areas report. WATERAID, Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from -
World Bank Group (2015). Rising through Cities in Ghana. Ghana Urbanization Review Overview Report. Retrieved from -
Yalley, P. P., Cobbinah, J. F., & Kwaw, P. K. (2010). Land and housing values and their effect on housing delivery in Sekondo-Takoradi Metropolis, Ghana. Pages 403-411. In S. Laryea, R. T. F. Leiringer, & W. Hughes (Eds.), Proceedings of the West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference 2010. Reading, UK. Pages 670.
Yeboah, E., & Obeng-Odoom, F. (2010). ‘We are not the only ones to blame’: District Assemblies’ perspectives on the state of planning in Ghana. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, 7.
ANNEX D: Statements from experts regarding patterns and drivers of urban development
Experts on governmental level: P1-2; P5-8; P11
Experts on non-governmental level: P3-4; P9-10; P12-14
P11 is an expert on national level and knows both study areas.
| |Keywords |Expert Interviews |
| | |Bolgatanga area |Takoradi area |
|Patter|Urban sprawl |P1: But in the areas now where they are building, developing, |P5: …because of the relationship we have with STMA, now, the |
|ns of | |now expanding to…when you look at it…almost now where they are |STMA is already filled up in terms of growth, it has reached its|
|urban | |developing, there is no layout. […] Looking at now, as we are |limit. So the overspill is coming into the periphery of the |
|develo| |speaking whereby there are no sector layout for expanding and |district of this Agona. |
|pment | |development areas. This is where the issues are. |P6: (see population growth, real estates) and: …you can see the |
| | |P2: (see scattered small buildings) |trend changing in these areas and rent is also going up. These |
| | |P3: (see land fragmentation and agriculture) |sort of these things and they charge in dollars. |
| | |P4: (see population growth) and interviewer: …has been |P7: …development is always ahead of us… […] …but you can see |
| | |partitioned into residential, agricultural …have you seen |this sporadic development. […] You see, they don't leave out |
| | |anything of that nature before? P4: No. No. Not at all. I’ve |areas for open and recreation and those things…very packed. It |
| | |never seen it. |cracks the whole place. I call it a civilized slum. |
| | |P11: But today, all the environmental resources have been |P8: …with regards to the developments along the Ahanta West |
| | |mismanaged, destroyed, with enormous human settlement springing |road, most of them have environmental permits. |
| | |up […] many places in your study areas as well. |P9: I think that there is a certain peri-urban area development |
| | | |between STMA and Ahanta West because Ahanta West is now growing.|
| | | |STMA has grown arguably to its limit. Now, there is still some |
| | | |expansion of STMA into Ahanta West. Now, these two, there is a |
| | | |gradual formation of what we call conurbation, you know, between|
| | | |STMA and Ahanta West. So, within that conurbation, you find the |
| | | |peri-urban settlement in there and they are also settlements |
| | | |that are poorly serviced, because as you know, in the part of |
| | | |our world, development is always ahead of service provision. And|
| | | |typically, you find in peri-urban areas, these services are |
| | | |lacking for the most part. |
| | | |P10: I wouldn’t say mega, but into bigger cities, comprising of |
| | | |everything – industries, schools, residential areas, commercial |
| | | |areas – basically, they are multi-purpose areas with respect to |
| | | |cities, towns, […] Yea, towards Agona. It’s not going to stop. |
| | | |So, residential development is more explicit in terms of the |
| | | |direction of land use. |
| | | |P11: (see urban sprawl in Bolgatanga area) |
| | | |P12: Interviewer: do this investments for these lands conform to|
| | | |the land use plans that has been designed for these areas where |
| | | |the lands have been bought? Or they buy the lands and then they |
| | | |use it for different purpose that does not necessarily conform |
| | | |to the laid out plans from Town and Country Planning.P12: I will|
| | | |say that combination of all that factors you just re-tried… |
| | | |P13: (see customary land tenure) |
| | | |P14: … something is already emerging along the road if any |
| | | |layman plies the road from Takoradi to Ahanta West, he will see |
| | | |a lot of development, a lot of infrastructural development along|
| | | |the line and merging that boundary between STMA and Ahanta West.|
| | | |[…] the planners of this area did some good job, but recently, |
| | | |the influx of people into this area is kind of making a whole |
| | | |mess of the plan that were made some time ago. So, I would say |
| | | |that currently, there is no sanity in the system at all. |
| |Land |P1: (see agriculture and urban sprawl) |P5: …it can have good land to spread and wouldn't destroy homes |
| |frag-mentation |P2: (see scattered small buildings); and: When you look at |and crops. |
| | |Bongo- is not so much developed […] very, very chaotic. Land |P6: (see scattered large buildings) and: …small area with less |
| | |use… |infrastructure and it is like as a, I would say, a community |
| | |P4: (see population growth) |primed between these two areas that give a peri-urban structure.|
| | |P3: (see agriculture) and: …they used to give land without |Basically such areas are largely a break in nature… |
| | |taking all these things into account, and even the fact that we |P7: (see urban sprawl) |
| | |want to regulate the use of land, and also to ensure efficiency |P8: I think that if we look at our land use planning, about 70 |
| | |in the use of land. |% of it has been allocated for residential areas, because these |
| | |P11: …land ownership hugely varies from what we know in the |areas were prior to the oil boom were areas where it was mostly |
| | |south. Fragmented land ownership is crucial. |farming communities, apart from STMA. But now, you see, it has |
| | | |become a necessity, and now, I think that the drive should |
| | | |be…probably, we need to also have policies on building |
| | | |vertically, instead of individually getting a 100 by 70 plot and|
| | | |building a very small… So, we need to… that is not an issue, but|
| | | |if it becomes even an issue, we have still land areas for |
| | | |residential… |
| | | |P10: The fact that the peri-urban areas are springing up means |
| | | |that the farmlands are going away. |
| | | |P13: (see customary land tenure) |
| | | |P14: (see urban sprawl) |
| |Scattered small |P1: When they get their particular farm, you cannot drive there |P6: Although it´s industrial, there are also permissible land |
| |settlement units |because they got their particular farm there. |uses within those areas. So although you see industrial areas as|
| |(for RS: < 500 m²)|P2: You drive inside Bongo and you see farms within Bongo which |the broad heading there will also be pockets of residential |
| | |in the normal sense shouldn´t be that way. Maybe, the outskirts |areas within that area. So most of the plans that we have in |
| | |should be used for that purpose but traditionally that is how |Ghana are more of a mixed use. |
| | |they are and it is becoming very difficult to change that kind |P7: (see urban sprawl) |
| | |of trend. |P8: …we are going to have a situation where a lot of industrial |
| | | |plots are allocated very close to residential facilities and |
| | | |that would be a problem. |
| | | |P9: (see urban sprawl) |
| | | |P10: (see population growth) and: …residential land uses…. |
| | | |P13: (see customary land tenure) |
| | | |P14: (see population growth) |
| |Scattered large |P4: When you move along Bolga road, you can count a higher |P5: (see heavy industry and worker´s accommodations) and: So, |
| |settlement units |number of fuel stations, and they are yet constructing existing |we saw the companies springing up, and we said “ey, no” we |
| |(for RS: > 10.000 |ones, which takes a vast land to do that. So actually, they did |needed to prepare an industrial plan for them. If not, they will|
| |m²) |take much of the land. |site their industries outside the plan. |
| | | |P6: …it is basically mix use but I think the frameworks of the |
| | | |plan looked like they have a large industrial enclave. That will|
| | | |be used for now and for the future and if you go to this area, a|
| | | |sizeable area has been acquired and then subsequently much of |
| | | |the areas are left now, which should be used for the future. |
| | | |Again, if you look at the free zone area, STMA a large plot of |
| | | |land has been left. |
| | | |P7: Interviewer: Building it under some different use |
| | | |whatsoever...P7: Maybe I want to even put up a complex. |
| | | |P8: (see scattered small buildings) |
| | | |P10: (see heavy industry and worker´s accommodations) |
| | | |P12: (see heavy industry and worker´s accommodations) |
| | | |P13: (see customary land tenure) |
| | | |P14: So I am really sure that most of these industrial |
| | | |activities will kind of move westward, and take advantage of |
| | | |some of the vacant areas. |
|Driver|Population growth |P1: (see agriculture) |P5: For now, most of the requests are residential. Then, a few |
|s of |(housing) |P2: (see scattered small buildings) |logistics and warehousing, but most of them are mainly |
|urban | |P3: Land degradation by humans… |residential. […] …and people will say "why don't I stay in Agona|
|develo| |P4: As the population increases, the land that we have keeps |Nkwanta? I can have access to urban infrastructure, and also, I |
|pment | |reducing for human settlement and even encroaching on agric |can work at the gas..." |
| | |lands, and so it’s a very hectic situation in terms of acquiring|P6: …the main thing if you look at population as key. For me the|
| | |or getting land. |population infrastructure, the economic activity that is taking |
| | | |place in those areas. Especially industries, commerce. Also then|
| | | |I would say the hospitality industry. Interviewer: So hotels. |
| | | |P7: ... because we have more people... |
| | | |P9: On top of that, there are more residential settlements being|
| | | |developed… |
| | | |P10: …let’s say for Ahanta West, it’s more geared towards |
| | | |residential development, in anticipation of the oil find, which |
| | | |they expect more people to come in. So when you move into that |
| | | |district, you see new sort of estate development going on. |
| | | |P14: (see roads and urban sprawl) and: I don't know if you know |
| | | |Takoradi that much, but there are places in Takoradi where like |
| | | |ten years ago or five years ago, there were no people at all. |
| |Roads |P1: The road and then the economic centres like markets and |P7: …then look out for the main roads, and even dredge this...it|
| | |other facilities influence….let me trying to arrange them in an |really opens the door for people to start moving in. |
| | |order of importance. The road should be there for the |P6: I think one key thing is the roads. […] Most people have |
| | |communities to access the markets. |bought a piece of land. They have not settled because they have |
| | |P4 (contradictory): Interviewer: Do you think that roads |no road - that is right. And hence most of them wait until the |
| | |attract people to settle around it? P4: Roads necessarily, I |roads are constructed before they start…developing. |
| | |don´t think. |P9: Well, I have to tell you, in this part of the world, growth |
| | |P11: Well, the key spatially explicit determinant are roads, |is mainly driven by roads. Road is one of the key drivers of |
| | |health, as well as educational facilities. These are the core |growth, in terms of settlements in particular, and also economic|
| | |sets of factors which influences growth in the southern as well |activity. So that is the key… one of the key drivers from the |
| | |as the northern regions. |planning point of view. I won’t even mention schools nor |
| | | |utility. It is roads that is one of the key drivers. |
| | | |P11 (see roads in Bolgatanga area) |
| | | |P13 (contradictory): I don’t think roads are major determinants |
| | | |of spatial growth because our roads are in poor state or |
| | | |condition. |
| | | |P14: I pretty much think that the priority for STMA right now |
| | | |has very little to do with agriculture. I'm really sure it's |
| | | |more on residential and also on roads. […] This one should be |
| | | |very simple for me. I think its roads. |
| |Markets (trade and|P1: (See roads) |P5: (see heavy industry and worker´s accommodations) |
| |economy) |P4: For me, I think, it is the economic activity.[…] people |P6: (see population growth) and: …there are other commercial |
| | |come to look for jobs just to earn something. |activities that also take place within those areas. |
| | | |P8: Particularly in the Western Region, you could see that a lot|
| | | |of industries are coming in, and most of the lands available are|
| | | |commercial, and they are struggling to get… |
| | | |Interviewer: …commercial lands. |
| | | |P9: …it’s arguably some planning because somebody somewhere |
| | | |thinks he can put the area into a certain use, that use may not |
| | | |fall within the planning authority’s plan for the area, but they|
| | | |still go ahead and push for that use. And, these are driven |
| | | |significantly by market forces and economic factors. So, because|
| | | |of the market´s influence in land use processes, in land use |
| | | |planning processes, that informal approach to land use planning |
| | | |also becomes prevalent. […] These are business people, who, |
| | | |based on the economic situation at the time, may want to bring |
| | | |in one or two investments but they want to take advantage of |
| | | |certain services, for instance, that are available in a certain |
| | | |area. |
| | | |P10: …then we have ware housing also springing up in most places|
| | | |in Shama and Ahanta West. So, those are the key influences that |
| | | |I can…[…] Economic centres are always a subsector of urban |
| | | |expansion. So, it’s built in there… |
| | | |P13: (see customary land tenure and heavy industry and worker´s|
| | | |accommodations) |
| | | |P14: …the whole place was crowded. Mostly for commercial |
| | | |purposes. |
| |Mining of gold, | | |
| |stones or sand | | |
| |Agriculture |P1: The school is actually sandwiched by a community and you’ll |P10 (contradictory because driver of land use change but more |
| | |see how the farmers want to even farm to the extent of |for urbanisation):…if you take the average of about 50 % of the |
| | |cultivating their land, their crops, within the school compound.|people have their livelihoods on agriculture. So, whatever you |
| | |P2: …when you come to this part of the country, most of the |do, you place a key role and you can´t ignore the fact that that|
| | |people are engaging in agriculture. […] Everybody would like to|is what majority of the people do. So, in your planning… you |
| | |settle close to his work place and here, farming is the major |have to make room for that, except that we are not doing ours |
| | |activity. […] You drive inside Bongo and you see farms within |efficiently because if you demarcate an area for agriculture, |
| | |Bongo which in the normal sense shouldn´t be that way. |and its technicians. If you are practicing efficient methods |
| | |P3: …want a particular portion or design to be prepared for |that can stand for the next ten years… |
| | |residential. And we engage in farming, we have the farmland in |P13: (see heavy industry and worker´s accommodations) |
| | |our outskirts. |P14 (contradictory): (see roads) |
| |Governmental |P1: … some districts have been created as a new district […] |P 10: So, you have people –government officials and government |
| |buildings and |there are some activities, some institutions that have to run. |workers – moving into those areas to go and stay. |
| |staff |When you establish a district for instance, we have to have the | |
| |accommo-dations |district assembly and we have to have various work force and | |
| | |those who also used to work within the district assembly: | |
| | |planners, various economic planners, various engineers and other| |
| | |things and these are the people who are also be in the | |
| | |assemblies and operate, but when districts have been created | |
| | |they realize that they don´t have accommodation for people, | |
| | |staff to live in. | |
| |Customary land |P1: The land acquisition for the development actually is |P5: Then it was like some people came, where they got the |
| |tenure |something very, very challenging to any land use plan. |families together and just sign documents even without paying |
| | |P2: When you come to this part of our country, you see that the |for the land, documents are signed. And before the families come|
| | |chiefs don´t own land, the individuals rather own the land. […] |to their sense, they've sold their land, and even the people who|
| | |you consider in your plans. But when you come here, you would |came to buy have turned themselves to land owners, and are now |
| | |have about 30 sqm land owned by about 5 people. […] The real |selling. And contradictory: …because most of these areas in |
| | |challenge is how you convince all these people to accept that |Agona Nkwanta have all been sold out, but developers are finding|
| | |let´s plan for them. |it difficult to even access the lands so that they can start |
| | |P4: Yes, land acquisition is actually a problem… |building. That's the problem. |
| | | |P6: We continue to develop a lot of slums that we see in our |
| | | |country because of the capacity of the individuals. |
| | | |P7: The chiefs are interested in drinking money. So, it can |
| | | |happen that I will be the first person to move to the area. I |
| | | |drive on people's plot to take my materials to site. So in no |
| | | |time, we'll always assume that that is the access. The moment |
| | | |the real owner comes into block it, we start fighting, and that |
| | | |is the beginning of destruction of the plan. So, we have |
| | | |implementation challenges, and how do we cure this? I have said |
| | | |that we have to move away, we have to get these people another |
| | | |place. |
| | | |P8: … I learnt that…there is a place, Nigerians came to buy all |
| | | |the area, and now, they are selling to individuals. |
| | | |P9: You contrast it with the informal land use, it’s arguably |
| | | |some planning because somebody somewhere thinks he can put the |
| | | |area into a certain use, that use may not fall within the |
| | | |planning authority’s plan for the area, but they still go ahead |
| | | |and push for that use. |
| | | |P10 (contradictory): Because of the fact that our land tenure |
| | | |system is different but for urban areas where the lands are |
| | | |basically owned by the state, and even if the states don’t own |
| | | |land, they have the power to decide what should be done on the |
| | | |land, so that it gives land use planning an easy access to |
| | | |demarcate, and also make sure that those demarcations are |
| | | |implemented according to the plan. |
| | | |P13: I know land acquisition indeed is a challenge. For |
| | | |instance, multiple sales of lands in this area has created and |
| | | |still creates disorder and chaos. There was a case where an |
| | | |individual bought a land for residential purposes, when at the |
| | | |same time, Menergy Company had purchased the same land to put up|
| | | |a branch of their company for commercial purposes. These two |
| | | |contrasting uses distorted the initial use already prepared by |
| | | |the town planners. |
| | | |P14: I would think, it's a big challenge. Land acquisition in |
| | | |STMA is a big challenge. Like I rightly said earlier on, the |
| | | |place is very much congested, and the very few pockets of land |
| | | |that are available, most of them are in conflict. I can mention |
| | | |some few places where there are a lot of conflicts in terms of |
| | | |ownership of land. So, it makes acquisition already very |
| | | |difficult. And so, I think that in general, based on these two |
| | | |points, the place is already full, and those are the places are |
| | | |already overburdened with a number of engagements from chiefs |
| | | |and other people. So, land acquisition in STMA is very tough |
| | | |thing, even to investors. |
| |Educational |P1: The senior high school – I´m talking about- is even |P6: Basic, let say education can also be found in those areas. |
| |facilities |expanding. They are putting more infrastructure. So the school |P9 (contradictory): (see roads) |
| | |is expanding. So they need more in that area. And this is where|P11: (see roads in Bolgatanga area) |
| | |the community is also sitting. |P13: Again, educational facilities are also determinant. |
| | |P4: Because when land is put into a different use, for example, | |
| | |maybe roads or schools, structures and all that, that land is no| |
| | |more available for maybe, agriculture… | |
| | |P11: (see roads) | |
| |Heavy industry and| |P5: But you have towns at the periphery which happens to share |
| |worker´s | |boundaries with STMA coming up in terms of industrial |
| |accommo-dations | |activities, economic activities, and even good and first class |
| | | |residential setup because it's at the periphery…[…] That's why |
| | | |most of the investors, when they come, they want to site their |
| | | |factories along the main corridor... |
| | | |P6: …it's industrial. […] So we will be looking at the vice |
| | | |industry which is a huge current challenges. […] the oil |
| | | |generate a lot of people there are lot of people you see, there |
| | | |are a lot of migrants in the system who come to work and they |
| | | |will need a place to… |
| | | |P8: …the whole thing that drives the spatial planning was the |
| | | |oil and gas infrastructure. […] The major land use priority is |
| | | |trying to get areas for industrial activity because, if you look|
| | | |at oil boom… |
| | | |P9: For me, both STMA and Ahanta West are adopting, I would say,|
| | | |similar land use priorities. All driven by oil and gas |
| | | |development because STMA, since the harbour, it’s where the |
| | | |harbour this, it’s one of the areas where you’ll find out that |
| | | |there’s highly residential…I mean, most of the people working in|
| | | |oil and gas sector have find residence in STMA. The service |
| | | |industry, those companies providing services to oil and gas, are|
| | | |more and more locating in Ahanta West district. So, well… yes I |
| | | |mean, there is more priority in oil and gas facility-siting in |
| | | |the Ahanta West district. But in STMA also, yes, it’s also… it’s|
| | | |a priority. |
| | | |P10 (see population growth) and: Lately, industrial development |
| | | |is also coming in, as a result of the same oil and gas industry.|
| | | |So you also have…some industries springing up, I can mention the|
| | | |Ghana Gas Industrial… |
| | | |P12: Especially with industries and companies who have acquired |
| | | |land for industrial purposes and now most of the community |
| | | |members are complaining. […] Definitely with our district, and |
| | | |even in the Western Region, because of the oil find and you know|
| | | |the oil find comes with a lot of servicing industries. So |
| | | |naturally, it attracts a lot of companies who are coming in to |
| | | |support them. And that is more challenge that we are having and |
| | | |if we don’t look at it critically it might affect food security.|
| | | |Most of the farmlands are converted into industrial purposes. |
| | | |P13: The main land use priority for Ahanta West used to be |
| | | |agricultural. However, lately, industrial zones is the main |
| | | |priority. […] …I would say that the major determinant of spatial|
| | | |growth in Ahanta West is economic centre, particularly |
| | | |industries and jobs. |
| | | |P14: Currently, I would say that industry and residential would |
| | | |be the main, and then |
| | | |roads as I mentioned, would be the main areas of priorities, but|
| | | |because the place, I mean STMA, most of the places are already |
| | | |congested, it's kind of hard to bring in more industrial |
| | | |infrastructures in the system, but with this oil industry |
| | | |booming, and Sekondi-Takoradi being the heart of this industry, |
| | | |I think it's very strong in the plan as well. |
| |Real estate and |P4: It happens all the time. […] And even guest houses and |P5: Last week, they were here in the District, and most of these|
| |hotels |whatever. So the agric lands are now being converted to these |hotels without certificates... |
| | |facilities, and they keep reducing the land. |P6: …also they coming into force of what we see as estate |
| | | |development springing up. […] ...you see a lot happening in the |
| | | |hospitality industry, you see the springing up of…hotels. |
| | | |P8: …we don’t give environmental permits for domestic use…but |
| | | |for hotels. |
| |Infrastruct-ural |P11: (see roads) |P6 (contradictory): I think one of the basic problems is the |
| |development in | |permission of the basic infrastructure and the civic services |
| |general | |and the telecommunication lines. They are very, very key and |
| |(electricity, | |most of the plans that are prepared, most of them, the |
| |piped water, | |infrastructure network is weak. We have not been able to |
| |hospitals) | |construct these things. The capacity to develop this |
| | | |infrastructure is very, very… at the capacity to develop this |
| | | |infrastructure is weak. Hence, developing this area becomes |
| | | |very, very challenging. |
| | | |P11: (see roads in Bolgatanga area) |
| | | |P14 : (see urban sprawl) |
| |Changing lifestyle| |P10: Maybe you call them suburbs. But they are springing up as a|
| | | |result of development in the urban areas, and this usually occur|
| | | |as a result of people’s choices… some may want to live outside |
| | | |the urban area because of traffic, noise… So, people tend to |
| | | |move outside of the urban areas develop along the fringes of the|
| | | |main urban areas. Those are considered as peri-urban. […] So, |
| | | |you have the rich, occupying the peri-urban, and the less |
| | | |affluent in the urban centres. |
ANNEX E: Statements from experts regarding opportunities and challenges of land use planning in the study areas
Experts on governmental level: P1-2; P5-8; P11
Experts on non-governmental level: P3-4; P9-10; P12-14
P11 is an expert on national level and knows both study areas.
| |Keywords |Expert Interviews |
| | |Bolgatanga |Takoradi |
|Chall|Customary land |P1: The land acquisition for the development actually is |P5: In fact, the main challenge is government doesn't own |
|enges|tenure |something very, very challenging to any land use plan. |land. The land is not ours, so it's very difficult to plan |
|for | |P2: When you come to this part of our country, you see that |for the land. That's the challenge we face. Because |
|urban| |the chiefs don´t own land, the individuals rather own the |government doesn't own the land, the land does not belong to |
|and | |land. […] you consider in your plans. But when you come here,|them. At times, our plans prepared are being distorted when |
|peri-| |you would have about 30 sqm land owned by about 5 people. […]|they are being implemented on the ground. If government could|
|urban| |The real challenge is how you convince all these people to |own lands, then we could use our machineries we have to |
|land | |accept that let´s plan for them. |enforce our plan, which is the survey department. But now, |
|use | |P3: ...they used to give land without taking all these things|every land owner has his own surveyor, whether he is quack or|
|plann| |into account, and even the fact that we want to regulate the |a professional surveyor. So you will get multiple surveyors |
|ing | |use of land, and also to ensure efficiency in the use of |working on just one piece of land, and the survey work can be|
|(LUP)| |land. […] …our ancestors knew their land boundaries, between |error margin and how it is. |
| | |me and our neighbours. But what they used to…as an |P6: The way lands are managed in a country is a bit |
| | |identification, for some time now, are no longer feasible. |problematic because we have multiple landowners and also we |
| | |They used trees and streams as an identification. You will |also have difficulty with land litigation and land |
| | |agree with me that erosion has caused some streams either |acquisition. So managing is very difficult with all the |
| | |eating so much into one´s land or the other…and some of the |various interests. We have limited government or state land. |
| | |trees are even dead, and so there is tendency of land |Managing government land is very, very easy. |
| | |conflict in future, boundary conflict in future. So, we found|P7: The chiefs are interested in drinking money. So, it can |
| | |it very prudent that we need to revisit the demarcation of |happen that I will be the first person to move to the area. I|
| | |the land boundaries, as part of the land use management. |drive on people's plot to take my materials to site. So in no|
| | |P4: Yes, land acquisition is actually a problem… |time, we'll always assume that that is the access. The moment|
| | |P11: …for that area, land ownership hugely varies from what |the real owner comes into block it, we start fighting, and |
| | |we know in the south. Fragmented land ownership is crucial. |that is the beginning of destruction of the plan. So, we have|
| | | |implementation challenges, and how do we cure this? I have |
| | | |said that we have to move away, we have to get these people |
| | | |another place. |
| | | |P9: You contrast it with the informal land use, it’s arguably|
| | | |some planning because somebody somewhere thinks he can put |
| | | |the area into a certain use, that use may not fall within the|
| | | |planning authority’s plan for the area, but they still go |
| | | |ahead and push for that use. |
| | | |P10 (contradictory): Because of the fact that our land |
| | | |tenure system is different but for urban areas where the |
| | | |lands are basically owned by the state, and even if the |
| | | |states don’t own land, they have the power to decide what |
| | | |should be done on the land, so that it gives land use |
| | | |planning an easy access to demarcate, and also make sure that|
| | | |those demarcations are implemented according to the plan. |
| | | |P12: …most lands are owned by families and clans, mostly |
| | | |chiefs, so though the land is for the government, they |
| | | |manage, or they look after the land. Most families and chiefs|
| | | |or they mostly lease the land out. So that’s where the |
| | | |conflicts come, because though the district assembly has the |
| | | |right to regulate and plan and control, and what is not their|
| | | |ability to effectively monitor and the plans are not really, |
| | | |how do I say it, “clear” out there to the managers of the |
| | | |land. We have a lot of conflicts because the chiefs see it as|
| | | |a means of making money turning their lives around, as an |
| | | |opportunity. So they don’t even consider a lot of factors. |
| | | |That is why everybody can come in if the person has enough |
| | | |money to purchase the land, the land is free, they give it |
| | | |out to the person. |
| | | |P13: I know land acquisition indeed is a challenge. For |
| | | |instance, multiple sales of lands in this area has created |
| | | |and still creates disorder and chaos. There was a case where |
| | | |an individual bought a land for residential purposes, when at|
| | | |the same time, Menergy Company had purchased the same land to|
| | | |put up a branch of their company for commercial purposes. |
| | | |These two contrasting uses distorted the initial use already |
| | | |prepared by the town planners. |
| | | |P14: I would think, it's a big challenge. Land acquisition in|
| | | |STMA is a big challenge. Like I rightly said earlier on, the |
| | | |place is very much congested, and the very few pockets of |
| | | |land that are available, most of them are in conflict. I can |
| | | |mention some few places where there are a lot of conflicts in|
| | | |terms of ownership of land. So, it makes acquisition already |
| | | |very difficult. And so, I think that in general, based on |
| | | |these two points, the place is already full, and those are |
| | | |the places are already overburdened with a number of |
| | | |engagements from chiefs and other people. So, land |
| | | |acquisition in STMA is very tough thing, even to investors. |
| |Lacking |P1: When we look at the northern sector and then the region |P5 (contradictory): Formerly people just acquired. Now, |
| |participation of |here we are working. You see how we are marginalizing the |aside going to Lands Commission for search, they would come |
| |people |community. |to town planning to say that “this land I want to buy how is |
| | |P2 (contradictory): … we have also seminars organized for |it? What is it zoned for?" People are already sensitized, and|
| | |them so that we will be able interact with them and then tell|that's what people are doing now. […] So once you are |
| | |them, what we intend doing and how they can also help reshape|preparing plans, at any point in time, there will be |
| | |the plan we are preparing. At the end of the day, that we are|consultation process where we invite the chiefs, we are able |
| | |able achieve is the implementation of the plans. |to identify the land owners, the few family heads, and then |
| | |P4: Interviewer: So you think the people were not involved |we look at the assembly members of that community, and a few |
| | |in, one, the planning of the road and then the implementation|opinion leaders. We invite them, we will look at it and they |
| | |of the planning. P4: Exactly! What I would say is that, even |bring their input, especially at the draft stage. They bring |
| | |if they were involved, it would only |their inputs, where the various concepts are being drawn. |
| | |be maybe one person or two in the community. That would not |Also together we analyse these concepts, and we choose our |
| | |be a good representation. |preferred options. |
| | |P3 (contradictory): Interviewer: Do you usually include some |P6 (contradictory): (see Land Administration Project) and: |
| | |community members? P3: Of courses, yes, community members, |…we start the process by engaging the stakeholders. |
| | |the Tendanas, opinion leaders and even the women. |[…] The landowners. The chiefs of the area. Assembly members |
| | | |of the area, leaders of the area and we also come to the |
| | | |technical side. The technical survey, land’s commission so I |
| | | |would say we tease out, we get the various technical men…we |
| | | |have a hydro geotechnical session. |
| | | |P7 (contradictory): Yes, the stakeholder involvement, there |
| | | |were several of them. From inception to the formulation of |
| | | |the objectives, goals, bla, bla, bla. And they creates |
| | | |scenario, and every step, the people have to come, discuss |
| | | |and validate. The only thing is that it takes time. But a lot|
| | | |of…and especially politicians, they are just looking at four |
| | | |years. |
| | | |P9 (contradictory): Yes, what we did. This assembly was a |
| | | |stakeholder… we work with… The Town and Country Planning had |
| | | |its representatives on board, and also included the chiefs, |
| | | |the farmers, users of the land, tenant farmers, migrant |
| | | |farmers, et cetera. So, it was a highly participatory, and |
| | | |all-inclusive exercise. |
| | | |P10: So, the process itself is mostly towards people who are |
| | | |influential, therefore can dictate what should be done here |
| | | |and there… even though others may also get involved in the |
| | | |same but they are all influenced in the same way compared |
| | | |with where, if you have majority of the people being locals, |
| | | |their inputs are always ignored. And even though their inputs|
| | | |are ignored, that process of showcasing what has been done |
| | | |for them, on their behalf, is not being done. So, the |
| | | |processes is always at fault, and it would have been nice if |
| | | |everybody would have been part of it, but it doesn’t happen. |
| | | |P12: (see Land Administration Project) and: They may |
| | | |consulting one or two people but not a holistic…like an |
| | | |inclusion to the whole. |
| | | |P13: I don’t think local authorities are really part of the |
| | | |planning process. I say this because their inputs are not |
| | | |included in the final plans. So if their inputs are not |
| | | |included, how can u possibly say they are part of the |
| | | |process? The local people are considered as primitive with |
| | | |limited ideas to planning. So they are usually rendered |
| | | |redundant. |
| | | |P14: Personally I haven't been involved in this process, and|
| | | |I can't tell if a friend or any colleague or family member of|
| | | |mine has participated in this. In this area, I mean the urban|
| | | |areas, it's kind of difficult to have people participate in |
| | | |some of these things. |
| |Lacking | |P9: So, there is this disconnect or a communication problem |
| |com-munication | |between on the one hand, the planning authorities, the land |
| |between industry | |owners, and also potential investors. And that is what I |
| |and government | |termed as dysfunctional governance system around land use. |
| | | |[…] the private sector or the market forces are driving the |
| | | |planning process, as opposed to having a consultative process|
| | | |that is all-inclusive… |
| | | |P10 (contradictory): So, the business communities and the |
| | | |administration would get together… |
| | | |P12: I’m looking at the land managers per se, the district |
| | | |assembly, the EPA, even the industries who are coming for the|
| | | |land, and then the Town and Country Planning. There should be|
| | | |a better understanding of the plan. |
| |Distrust in |P1: …if you take something compulsory it means now you have |P5: Then you go "oh, my God, so this is what is happening". |
| |government |muscles to take it from whoever is owning it. You take it. |So our search light can't at all times be seeing what is |
| | |But time will come that maybe that people you took thing |happening there. At times, we go for some inspections in some|
| | |from, they have muscles more than you and they also decide to|remote areas, and when you go there and we'll be like "wow, |
| | |take it back and you have that kind of conflict. |these people are just working without permit"… […] They know |
| | |P2: …another thing is the mentality. Deposed thinking with |they have to apply, but because they think they are far away,|
| | |regard to planning. People don´t really understand what land |“hey just go on”. |
| | |use planning is. We seems to be thinking much more about |P6: …sometimes you meet a farmer with difficulty…someone has |
| | |ourselves than thinking about the whole community. |sold a piece of land and will not give a portion of a part of|
| | | |the money to the district. Some want go and sell the land |
| | | |without recourse to the laid down structures so it is the big|
| | | |challenge in land use management in Ghana. |
| | | |P7: Let us leave that place at the built area, then we always|
| | | |turn out to get a blighted area just close by, and we |
| | | |approach residential something, and that all creates |
| | | |insecurity. We are not conscious of that, because the man |
| | | |close by is living in the slum, and you come with new layout |
| | | |and move him out, and build a fine building with great |
| | | |compound, landscaped, and drive out. Definitely, they will |
| | | |plan against you. [….] It's just like you felt the whites |
| | | |were cheating us, and we removed them, and those who came to |
| | | |replace them were also playing... assuming those rules the |
| | | |whites were playing. […] People are so intolerant, and when |
| | | |they mess things up, they just play politics with it. They |
| | | |say "because we are not part of you." |
| | | |P9: …to see whether the proposed use conforms to the existing|
| | | |plan. They don’t do that. They oftentimes bypass the |
| | | |municipality, and go to land owners and negotiate payment. |
| | | |P10: They are there in the books, but I don’t think the |
| | | |bylaws are effective, because people still continue to do the|
| | | |same things with impunity. |
| |Govern-mental |P1: So if you look at the criteria, the basis for creating |P5: As an assembly, we also lack a little in terms of our |
| |de-centralisation |such a district would have been properly done, you realize |enforcement. Before you know it, things have gone wrong, and |
| | |that that criteria was not actual fulfilled before it was |correcting it is a lot of problem. |
| | |created. In Ghana here, if you look at how things are done, |P6 (contradictory): So they have a fair idea of it and then |
| | |based on how things are done, we don´t see proper things in |it was just one who pushed for the realization of the Western|
| | |place. |Regional framework and now per regulation every district is |
| | | |supposed to prepare a district development framework out of |
| | | |the regional framework and then from there the other plans, |
| | | |infrastructure plans, local plans…But most of them are |
| | | |preparing the local plans alone and that will cause any |
| | | |higher plan that will follow. And then, as a nation the |
| | | |national framework is ongoing. It will be approved and then |
| | | |every region should prepare a regional framework. So |
| | | |gradually since the nation has begun and Western Region has |
| | | |set the pace and other regions have also set the original |
| | | |framework, it will trickle down to the districts. |
| | | |P7 (contradictory): If they have anything they want to tell |
| | | |us, they will have to go through the local government |
| | | |service. |
| | | |P8 (contradictory): To add up, you see, the assembly do not |
| | | |have a law to implement land planning but, you see, they have|
| | | |bylaws to prevent people from developing into certain areas. |
| | | |They give the permit, so if the permit is not given in a |
| | | |particular area, nothing happens. But you see…for me, I think|
| | | |that the assembly had not looked afar. Irrespective the place|
| | | |is wetlands, it does not mean it cannot be used. |
| | | |P9 (contradictory): But often, the beneficiaries are the |
| | | |district planners, so we work hand in hand, we don’t work in |
| | | |isolation at all. And we bring an added value of fostering an|
| | | |all-inclusive process, fostering participatory approaches, so|
| | | |that when these plans are formulated, a broader section of |
| | | |the community or the population would be aware of them, and |
| | | |also support the implementation because they have contributed|
| | | |to its formulation. So, that is the added value of our |
| | | |involvement or inclusion on the planning’s. |
| | | |P12: That’s also another challenge, because EPA is a |
| | | |different entity, and they are not directly linked with the |
| | | |districts. They come, you know, they come saying they have |
| | | |the EPA report and they go ahead and the district don´t have |
| | | |any control. That are some of the challenges because the main|
| | | |challenge is that stakeholders don’t really synchronize the |
| | | |activity, there is no collaboration if I may use that word. |
| | | |Well that’s my point of view that’s how I see it. So there is|
| | | |a lot of distortion in terms of materials, |
| | | |communication…there are a lot of minor conflicts when it |
| | | |comes to land use. |
| |Joint planning |P1: A new district which is created is not having, we don´t |P5 (contradictory): Somehow consciously, there hasn't been |
| |across district |have geographical boundaries…this is the extent because |that collaboration, but somehow also unconsciously, we plan |
| |borders |something in geodesy as you mentioned, has a mask, mask of |in such a way that there will be harmony. So even when we are|
| | |Ghana maybe, mask of this district. It means, it begins here,|planning for our peri-urban areas, and we know it is sharing |
| | |it ends here, this is the boundary of the district. We have |boundaries, we will make sure we are able to get the |
| | |districts or areas which are created as urban areas but you |adjoining land use plan to see how best we could link up the |
| | |don´t know where it extends. |transportation network because we wouldn't want to create a |
| | |P3 (contradictory): You know we share boundary with Burkina |transportation access that will be a dead end when it gets to|
| | |Faso, and then we share boundary with Kassena Nankana, we |the district end. So this is also one aspect of it. |
| | |share boundary with Bolga, we share boundary with the Nadam |P6: So before this thing came into being…separate setup plans|
| | |district. So, that is how the demarcation is done. And we had|have been prepared, which does not take care of any |
| | |consultative meetings. They called my colleagues and all |relationship. |
| | |these other things. We plan all the engagement meetings, |P8 (contradictory): …Ahanta West had a spatial plans, and |
| | |until everybody accepts it. |STMA had spatial plan too, so, we should incorporate it into |
| | |P11: …such a strategy is good for allowing the easy flow of |the master plan, so that we have a harmonized plan. Not that |
| | |resources from and into the new area. A similar thing could |we would do a spatial plan that would overshadow... We also |
| | |be done for the Bolga and Bongo. |even hinted that Ahanta West, Shama, Coastal Resources |
| | | |Centre, also build a plan… yes, they built a plan for the |
| | | |area. So, all of these, we were fortunate to be there, we |
| | | |made it known to members and it was part of the master plan. |
| | | |P11: For instance, Ahanta West and STMA could develop a |
| | | |strategy to jointly plan their shared border or boundary. |
| | | |With that stretch which leads from STMA to Ahanta west, such |
| | | |a strategy is good for allowing the easy flow of resources |
| | | |from and into the new area. |
| |Lacking law |P1: (see National and Regional Spatial Development |P5: (see governmental decentralisation) and: because for |
| |enforcement |Framework) |most plans we prepare, implementation on ground is quite |
| | |P2: (see Land Administration Project) |hectic and you would have to really put your feet on the |
| | | |ground, especially when it's a rural area, but in places like|
| | | |Accra, the laws work. But here, because it's quite on the |
| | | |remote side, they think they can take advantage. |
| | | |P7: …African countries colonized by the French in terms of |
| | | |respect for the law...even Togo and Benin. I don't know why |
| | | |the British... I mean we lost it. |
| | | |P6: Because you see there are laws, because you see, as I |
| | | |told you the plan are been prepared…The person will not even |
| | | |tell you. He will just go and build. |
| | | |P8: We can have all the good laws in the world but the laws |
| | | |themselves will not enforce, you understand? |
| | | |P9: So, the existing laws which… the problem we have here is |
| | | |lack of enforcement. There is laxity in the enforcement… |
| | | |P10: You see, it all has to do with enforcement, the plans |
| | | |are there, but the enforcements are weak. […] But to what |
| | | |extent it is working, I don’t know. |
| | | |P12: … the laws should be enforced. People should be punished|
| | | |if they don’t… |
| | | |P13: I know there are laws and unfortunately many people |
| | | |don’t comply with these laws because of poor publicity. |
| | | |Others who are aware also completely neglect the laws and do |
| | | |their own thing. So, for me the most important challenge. |
| | | |P14: I would say that there is actually on the part of the |
| | | |government, or the implementers of these plans, there isn't |
| | | |the will to implement this to the very last letter. |
| |Lacking financial |P1: ...which ordered technical staff, they don´t even have |P5: It's because government doesn't have the land, and the |
| |capacity |layouts… |chiefs are the owners of the land and they are selling the |
| | |P2: Is now a bit modern in the sense that most of the things |lands at arbitrary prices, government too also doesn't have |
| | |that we need in terms of equipment that we are…at first, we |the will, power or resources to go in to develop the land |
| | |use drawing boards,…for planning issues. Now, those things |because supposing the government owns the land and the people|
| | |are the kind of the past. We have been able to move from |were coming to government, then we will have money to open up|
| | |those traditional methods to new methods using computers, |roads, to provide the facilities and everything. So there |
| | |good software, LUPMIS, ArcGIS in preparing our plans. So now,|should be arrangements where a specific percentage comes for |
| | |things are getting better and they are more modern but we |developmental projects, like a fund or something. |
| | |think, more need to be done again- we have a long way to go. |P8: It also depends on the income. I’m sure the assemblies |
| | |[…] So, when it comes to human resources, frankly speaking, |are not well-paid. So, when you come back from a course, all |
| | |that one is a national challenge. Bongo, as we speak |the good things you are going to learn, you will not like to |
| | |currently, one technical officers, a secretary, and no |send it there.[…] So, one of the challenge, or one of the |
| | |planning officer… You get that? That is the issue. So, we |critical issue that would help you developing a good spatial |
| | |don´t have people on the ground work for us - that is the |plan, is getting the right resource personnel and schemes |
| | |real challenge in terms of human resources. |those areas. |
| | | |P9: …trying to develop some land use plans for a district |
| | | |that has no plans and maps at all. |
| |Funding for urban | |P6: So I think right now that framework which are prepared |
| |LUP from NGOs | |such issues will be properly addressed, which was sponsored |
| |and/or industry | |by TULLOW and prepared by TAKI. |
| |(biased) | |P7: What is current planning system of this idea which |
| | | |through this LAP project and the Western Regional Spatial |
| | | |Development Framework which was supported by the Norwegian |
| | | |fund. […] The Ahanta West also has this KOICA [Korea |
| | | |International Cooperation Agency], this thing. I think they |
| | | |also intend coming, move to the implementation state. But why|
| | | |should it always be an outside intervention? Can't we get a |
| | | |home brewed something? |
| | | |P9: And I also know of the Korean plan, the KOICA planning |
| | | |process, which tackled…they call it village-centric |
| | | |development… village-centric development within certain areas|
| | | |that are also rural. You get it. They had this concentric |
| | | |circles for certain targeted rural areas, as it were,… |
| | | |P10: The KOICA is not a good example because it’s more like a|
| | | |utopian plan. In terms of enforcing them… or enforcing that |
| | | |plan to make a break, it becomes a problem because a lot of |
| | | |the recommendations on land uses that they proposed are very |
| | | |expensive, high beyond the people’s pocket. Obviously, those |
| | | |plans will fail. |
|Oppor|Land |P2: Bongo has a customary land secretariat which is a |P5: That's why the Land Administration Project also came |
|tunit|Administration |benefit, which is something that came from LAP. Which |aboard to give us guidelines and standards with which we can |
|ies |Project (including|emanates from the LAP-project. I am not sure if it is LAP I |use in planning to make sure our plans are sustainable. […] |
|of |customary land |or LAP II. That has brought some kind of sanity a bit in |Yes, they are all participatory. That is what the LAP did |
|urban|secretariat) |terms of land acquisition into the system. […]…land lords can|before we came out with all these plans. There were |
|and | |flout those rules, go in - still get their lands registered |stakeholders at every level. And even apart from that, the |
|peri-| |by lands commission but with the introduction of the |communication aspect of it had to also go out, where there |
|urban| |customary land secretariat…how do I call it…. lands |were times we even had to come up with a jingle, which was |
|LUP | |commission would not register anybody’s land without passing |played on the FM stations just to sensitize people on the |
| | |through that process. |projects. So it's very participatory. |
| | |P3: …LAP I did a lot of education, sensitization…in the land |P6: …the land administration project and you have what you |
| | |aspect. LAP II also was helping to do more, but this time, |call a data room, a public data room where all the plans that|
| | |cut down…they want to ensure that traditional areas demarcate|are prepared are mounted. And give opportunity for anyone to |
| | |their land boundaries… |come and have a look and verify. Now that has been the reason|
| | | |for us to mount these things. |
| | | |P7: But the good thing for the current system we have adopted|
| | | |is: it's more friendly, it's broader, and brings on board |
| | | |apart from looking at the various areas like economic, |
| | | |political, legal impacts, it also has high level of |
| | | |stakeholder engagement. So it's participatory. |
| | | |P9 (contradictory): Yes, I have to be honest with you. I |
| | | |followed the Land Administration Project when it initially |
| | | |started, but at a certain point, I lost track of how the |
| | | |whole project was evolving. But clearly, I think that most of|
| | | |the problems I just discussed or described have not been |
| | | |tackled by the Land Administration Project. I know that they |
| | | |were attempts at harmonizing certain laws that govern land |
| | | |uses and it is only through the harmonization - that is how I|
| | | |understood it - that some of these problems can be resolved. |
| | | |P10 (contradictory): Land use Administration Project was |
| | | |geared towards correcting that. Interviewer: Was it |
| | | |successful? P10: Well, judging from what we did, the |
| | | |communities were brought on board for these meetings, but I |
| | | |can assure you that whatever plans that we take, if you take |
| | | |them up today, and go on the field to check against what was |
| | | |planned with the people, you will see that there are real |
| | | |differences. So, the process may be there but the |
| | | |enforcements are always weak. |
| | | |P12 (contradictory): I think it has had a positive but not |
| | | |fully, because I believe that the land administration for |
| | | |people to plan their land, people to have layouts for the |
| | | |land…it’s there that most of the districts are trying as much|
| | | |as possible to have a spatial plan for the land. But where I |
| | | |see they should forward the project is that I think it’s no |
| | | |really involving all relevant stakeholders and that is the |
| | | |challenges we are having right now, because I still retrait |
| | | |that the district assembly does not sell lands. So we have |
| | | |our plans but it is a different thing or the managers of the |
| | | |land have their own plans they think that for it to be |
| | | |effective, there should be enough collaboration for the land |
| | | |and owners to also know the importance and also be part of |
| | | |the input of the land under spatial planning. |
| | | |P13 (contradictory): I don’t have any idea about the LAP |
| | | |project. I have never heard about it before. |
| |Land Use Bill | |P5: I think, it is the US Forest Service. Then also, we have |
| | | |our quasi agencies, EPA and the rest of them, Highways And |
| | | |Feeder Roads they are also part of the stakeholders because |
| | | |in land use, there will be utility, and service providers are|
| | | |also part of this. So it's quite a large umbrella of |
| | | |stakeholders. These things are stipulated by law, although |
| | | |the law is still a bill, but we are still using it to work. |
| | | |P7: Yes, that [the land use bill] is what is going to |
| | | |regulate. |
| | | |P9 (contradictory): …the new bill of parliament that is still|
| | | |under some form of review or negotiation, waiting to be |
| | | |passed into law, and these are the instruments that we are |
| | | |waiting for, before some of these things can be legally |
| | | |addressed. But to tell you honestly, there are existing laws |
| | | |that if enforced, could curtail some of the problems that we |
| | | |are talking about. |
| | | |P14: …this bill is going to make implementation of some of |
| | | |these plans very much effective. […] So the Bill from the |
| | | |government is to help with this implementation. At this local|
| | | |level, at the grassroots level, it is very paramount. |
| |National and |P1: So it should be something like a national agenda. This |P6: The planning schemes were given for just a sector and |
| |Regional Spatial |is actually what we need. This is a priority that should be |then we continue to expand or let´s say extend it to an |
| |Development |done. Until it is prioritized - I don´t think that it will be|extent. It is simple because we did not use the right model |
| |Framework |done. Until we see the need that we need to develop our land |in the planning because we got to know the right models when |
| | |use plans for our various lands, various communities or |we began the land acquisition projects spanning from 2007 |
| | |regional level. |downwards where the concept of spatial development framework |
| | |P2: We are in the process to developing a National Spatial |emerge which should be the starting point of spatial planning|
| | |Development Framework. And the idea is, when the framework is|in let´s say this country, let´s say this district and simple|
| | |done, it will be rolled out the regional levels and they also|because we also don´t have national development spatial |
| | |prepare the regional spatial development frameworks. And that|frameworks. If these plans are not prepared already, such |
| | |one, when it is done, will be ruled out to the various |interface and such issues will be rather taken care of at the|
| | |district and municipal assemblies. They would also have to |initial stage. |
| | |prepare their spatial development frameworks that would feed |P7: Interviewer: But at least with a Western Regional Spatial|
| | |into the regional and into the national. You get it? At the |Development Framework you can tell that there was very strong|
| | |moment, that is in the process but as we speak now, there is |involvement. P7: Yes, the stakeholder involvement, there were|
| | |a challenge and that is why the policy, the framework, is now|several of them. |
| | |coming to address that challenge. Most of the things that are|P8: Interviewer: …this spatial development framework? P8: …so|
| | |done does not feed into – you understand- at the regional and|that we have a harmonized plan. Not that we would do a |
| | |national level. |spatial plan that would overshadow... We also even hinted |
| | | |that Ahanta West, Shama, Coastal Resources Centre, also build|
| | | |a plan… yes, they built a plan for the area. |
| | | |P9: The regional spatial development framework process could |
| | | |be described as a sustainable land use planning process |
| | | |because it took into account all the different sectors that I|
| | | |just elaborated now [the social and economic, and ecological |
| | | |dimensions] so, I see it as an example of sustainable land |
| | | |use planning. |
| | | |P10 (contradictory): And it started, I think 2011, and we are|
| | | |in 2015. Four years one, still only one. So, you can imagine,|
| | | |the success of how these things will be more pronounced with |
| | | |respect to every region having a spatial development |
| | | |framework. It’s going to take a while, and it all boils down…|
| |Public-Private-Par| |P6: …and then what we intend doing now is to partner…land |
| |tnerships (PPP) | |owners and then also support them in terms of opening up the |
| | | |road with a Dozer... |
| | | |P7: …the PPP, a private person will pre-finance. In lieu of |
| | | |the pre-financing, you can give him a chunk of the land if he|
| | | |so wishes or you let him do it. Ask him when he will dispose |
| | | |off the land, there is your drink money and a token or |
| | | |something is taken for development in there for the |
| | | |prospective development, for whoever wants to pay. And you |
| | | |can even make profit out of it. |
| | | |P9: That’s the private sector. So, to me, that is the problem|
| | | |we are having, that we are not assembling enough, the markets|
| | | |in our planning process. Also forgetting that, or not taking |
| | | |advantage of their strengths, in terms of financing those |
| | | |plans, going forward. |
| |Awareness raising |P1: … maybe changing of my people,… […] Let the community |P5: So at the end of the day, this person knows that this |
| |and local |themselves, let the people themselves, the grassroots |place is earmarked for a market. So if something is going on |
| |participation |themselves binding into the idea that there is need for us to|there, he can say "no, this place is a market. What is |
| | |plan. When they bind into that idea you ask them let |happening?" We sensitize them. Occasionally, we go to the |
| | |themselves to develop their own land use plan. Let the |radio, talk and discuss. |
| | |community themselves to develop it and then bring it up. |P6: I think one of the key things that we spoke about it, one|
| | |Because when you….the stakeholders take it you will find |is to intensify education about land use planning. |
| | |units, you will get back to them, they will look at it and |P7: Don't even think of victimizing somebody. You get the |
| | |when they developed it themselves and this thing fits |gravel road, and this one is always compacted, and it's all |
| | |perfectly in one of our projects where we developed land use |weather. Everybody will respect the layout which has been |
| | |for the area. |well demarcated. […] The other thing is even the stakeholder|
| | |P2: Now, that is the work we really need to do. To have |engagement itself is something that promotes it, because you |
| | |people sensitised to understand the concept so that they can |are getting everybody involved in trying to bring it on |
| | |buy in that idea. |board, and shine out something that will benefit everybody. |
| | |P4: Yes, I mean their views should be considered. They |P9: …after the environmental impact assessment when there is |
| | |should consider their views in their decisions on whatever |public hearing. That is where people often time get to know |
| | |implementation strategy or plan that they are taking. […] |for the first time that such development projects are happen |
| | |So, something that you are not aware of, you will definitely |into their district. So, I think we still have |
| | |not have any contribution to that. So it would be improper |a long way to go in terms of raising awareness, and letting |
| | |communication, or information, advert or announcement. |people understand…yeah, publicizing those potential |
| | | |developments, in time, for people to really not only be aware|
| | | |of, but also understand what that means for their lives, |
| | | |their livelihoods, and economic development within the |
| | | |locality. […] No, there is no structured or systematic |
| | | |process for sensitizing people or communities before the big |
| | | |development projects are commissioned. |
| | | |P10: Then the next process is to take it to the people. […] |
| | | |And the people would query everything that has been done |
| | | |until they all become satisfied, so, as at the first meeting,|
| | | |they will go back and rewrite or re-plan. […] Ours is like |
| | | |bigger forum discussion, some people have ideas but they may |
| | | |not even talk there, and all they have will still continue to|
| | | |be. That’s not participatory. There has to be a process |
| | | |whereby you go and divulge the things you know: “This is what|
| | | |we planned, you guys take it. On Tuesday, go and sit down and|
| | | |decide… at you own…just delves into it and come with your |
| | | |conclusions and resolutions”. From there on, we’ll see |
| | | |how…you can just… Because, basically, you writing the plan, |
| | | |it’s not for you. I think that is what is lacking. That is |
| | | |the key thing that is lacking. If you give people the |
| | | |opportunity… |
| | | |P12: …if they use the bottom-up it will also help resolve a |
| | | |lot of conflicts. Though yes, the ideas are good, the current|
| | | |modern ways of planning. But I believe the land that people |
| | | |live on it they have been in for sometimes. So their input is|
| | | |very important to an extent that…I even think their input are|
| | | |a centre stage |
| | | |P14: People don't really know what they have to do when they|
| | | |get the land, so continuous education will also help the |
| | | |people to know the steps to follow to get the algorithm and |
| | | |to acquire even the land and what they use the land for. |
| |Tendency towards | |P6: …the pattern has changed. Now going for high-rise, going |
| |multi-storey | |for apartment… |
| |structures | |P7: So, we are introducing what we call zoning heights, so |
| | | |that we are encouraging the high rise. For the high rise, we |
| | | |have what we call the densification of... because we have |
| | | |more people... |
| | | |P8: …probably, we need to also have policies on building |
| | | |vertically, instead of individually getting a 100 by 70 plot |
| | | |and building a very small… So, we need to… that is not an |
| | | |issue, but if it becomes even an issue, we have still land |
| | | |areas for residential… |
-----------------------
Figure Annex A2: Hierarchical order of the spatial development framework under the second Land Administration Project (LAP-2, 2011-2016).
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.