Assessment of Hazard Flash Points Predisposing Resident Communities to Disaster Risk in Adentan Municipality in Ghana

The dynamics in global development and population growth has led to increasing disasters. Migration to urban areas in the quest for greener pastures and white colour jobs in developing countries has become a driving force of movement of people.

Annan, S. T.; Adarkwah, F.; Mattah, M. M.; Awuni, S.

2019

English

The dynamics in global development and population growth has led to increasing disasters. Migration to urban areas in the quest for greener pastures and white colour jobs in developing countries has become a driving force of movement of people. This has led to high demand for land in urban areas compelling many urban poor to reside in slams and waterways. This exposes the urban poor to many hazards resulting in disaster occurrences. Ghana is not an exception to this phenomenon. The situation in Ghana is further exacerbated by the complexities of the land tenure system. This study was therefore conducted to assess the current hazards that predispose communities in the Adentan municipality to vulnerability and possible disasters, and to inform decision making. Stratified random sampling was used to sample respondents for focus group discussions, interviews, and questionnaire administration. A global positioning system (GPS) was used to pick coordinates of flashpoints of hazards and disasters prone areas, and field observations were also used to complement available data. Hazards such as uncompleted roads and drainage systems, encroachment on wetlands and waterways were identified to be the major causes of the recurrent flooding in the area. Improper wiring and bad practices were found to be the cause of fire outbreaks. Lack of enforcement of Land use and Spatial Planning Act 2016, building regulations, poverty, urbanization and decline in ecosystem services contributed to disasters. Principles of green economy, proper law enforcement for planning and building regulations were recommended to ensure sanity in the municipality.