Transportation and Physical Development around Kumasi, Ghana

Authors: Justice K. Owusu-Ansah, Kevin O'Connor

Abstract:

This research explores the links between physical development and transportation infrastructure around Kumasi, Ghana. It utilizes census data as well as fieldwork and interviews carried out during July and December 2005. The results suggest that there is a weak association between transportation investments and physical development, and that recent housing has generally occurred in poorly accessible locations. Road investments have generally followed physical expansion rather than the reverse. Hence policies designed to manage the fast growth now occurring around Ghanaian cities should not focus exclusively on improving transportation infrastructure but also strengthening the underlying the traditional land management structures and the official land administrative institutions that operate within those structures.

Keywords: Housing, Kumasi, population, physical development, transportation, villages.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1333404

References:

[1] Copenhagen City Homepage (Copenhagen Capacity) accessed on November 6, 2006 at http://www.locations.copcap.com/composite- 8109.htm
[2] Ernest Aryeetey and Ravi Kanbur (2005) Ghana-s Economy at Half Century: An Overview of Stability, Growth and Poverty, Strategies and Analysis for Growth and Access Working Paper. Available online at: http://www.saga.cornell.edu/saga/pub-auth.html
[3] Hart John Fraser (1991). "The Metropolitan Bow Wave" Geographical Review, 81 pp. 35-51
[4] J. Briggs and Ian E.A. Yeboah (2001). "Structural Adjustment Program and the Contemporary sub-Saharan African City." Area(33.1): 18-26
[5] J.O. Browder, James R. Bohland, and Joseph L. Scarpaci. "Patterns of Development on the Metropolitan Fringe: Urban Fringe Expansion in Bangkok, Jakarta and Santiago." Journal of American Planning Association, 1995 61(3).
[6] J. Friedman and Miller J. "The Urban Field." Journal of American Planning Association, XXXI (No.4) 1995 pp.312-319.
[7] J.W.R Whitehand, and Morton Norman (2006) "The Fringe-belt Phenomenon and Socioeconomic Change" Urban Studies, 43 (11) 2047- 2066).
[8] Kumasi Metropolitan Authority, KMA Development Plan, 2002-2004, (Unpublished).
[9] P. Filion, T. Bunting and K. Warriner (1999), The Entrenchment of Urban Dispersion: Residential Preferences and Location Patterns in the Dispersed City, Urban Studies 36, pp. 1317-1347.
[10] Paul Cahasan & Arielle Farina Clark (Undated) Copenhagen, Denmark. Available online at: http://depts.washington.edu/
[11] T. G. McGee, Metrofitting the Emerging Mega-Urban Regions of ASEAN: An Overview in the Mega-Urban Regions of Southeast Asia. In Urbanization in Asia, T. G. McGee, and I. Robinson. Vancouver, UBC Press, 1995.