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Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management

Received: 19 April 2016    Accepted: 3 May 2016    Published: 13 May 2016
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Abstract

Wetlands were considered as waste lands for breeding mosquitoes, home for all kinds of shanty settlements with no basic housing facilities. This study seeks to identify the effects of informal activities along wetland areas in Kumasi metropolitan specifically Sepe-Buokrom- Dichemso areas. The study was in a form of case study covering Sepe-Buokrom and Dichemso areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select the various informal activities within the area. The study revealed that the main informal economic activities within the communities were washing bays, mechanical workshops, petty trading, carpentry works, and etc. Majority of businesses operating along the selected areas had permit for their works. Flooding, poor environmental conditions and poor management of waste disposal were the effects of the activities along wetland areas. Malaria and typhoid were the most prevailing diseases within the study areas. Low cost of land and access to customers were some of the reasons people were operating their businesses along wetland areas. The study concludes that, wetlands in Kumasi are undergoing negative transformation and hence losing their social, economic and environmental values due to unsustainable activities including improper waste disposal and unplanned settlement.

Published in Urban and Regional Planning (Volume 1, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13
Page(s) 11-16
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Wetlands, Informal Commercial Activities, Effects

References
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[3] M. J. Hammond, A. S. Chen, S. Djordjevic, D. Butler, and O. Mark. (2015). Urban flood impact assessment: A state-of-the-art review, Urban Water Journal, volume 12, no. 1, pages 14-29.
[4] B. D. Grebliunas and W. L. Perry “The role of C: N: P stoichiometry in affecting denitrification in sediments from agricultural surface and tile-water wetlands” March 2016.
[5] Ramsar Convention Secretariat “Strategic Framework and Guidelines for the Future Development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Convention on Wetlands” (Rsis Edition) Nov 4, 2015.
[6] E. Amler, M.Schmidt, and G. Menz “Definitions and Mapping of East African Wetlands: A Review” 27 April 2015.
[7] Australian Government. “Wetlands Australia, National Wetland update” February 2016 No 28 Department of Environment.
[8] D. P. Lettenmaier, F. Aires, and F. Papa “Toward a High-Resolution Monitoring of Continental Surface Water Extent and Dynamics, at Global Scale: from GIEMS (Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellites) to SWOT (Surface Water Ocean Topography)”. March 2016, Volume 37, Issue 2, pp 339-355.
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[10] B. K. Nyarko, D. K. Essumang, M. J. Eghan and P. L. G. Vlek. “Use of isotopes to study floodplain wetland and river flow interaction in the White Volta River basin, Ghana” Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies 46(1): 91-106. March 2010.
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[12] H. M. Hagy. “Wetland Classification and Assessment: The Hydrogeomorphic Approach - Advanced Wetlands Ecology” University of Tennessee – Knoxville 8 September 2011.
[13] C. L. Arnold, Jr; and C. J Gibbons, “Impervious surface coverage: The emergence of a key environmental indicator American Planning Association”. Journal of the American Planning Association; spring; Vol. 62, No. 2; 1996.ABI/INFORM Global pg. 243.
[14] J. Marsalek, Q. Rochfort and D. Savic. “Urban water as a part of integrated catchment management”. Chapter 2, 2001. pp. 37-83.
[15] I. Andjeilkovic. Guidelines on Non-Structural Measures in Urban Flood Management. Paris: 2001. IRTCUD. 50.
[16] P. Kolsky, and D. Butler, “Performance Indicators for Urban Storm Drainage in Developing Countries. Urban Water”, Vol 4: 2002. pp 137-144.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Richard Oduro Asamoah, Isaac Decard I - Nelson, Kwadwo Twumasi - Ampofo, Bettie Solomon - Ayeh, Kofi Offei - Nyako, et al. (2016). Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management. Urban and Regional Planning, 1(1), 11-16. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13

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    ACS Style

    Richard Oduro Asamoah; Isaac Decard I - Nelson; Kwadwo Twumasi - Ampofo; Bettie Solomon - Ayeh; Kofi Offei - Nyako, et al. Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management. Urban Reg. Plan. 2016, 1(1), 11-16. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13

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    AMA Style

    Richard Oduro Asamoah, Isaac Decard I - Nelson, Kwadwo Twumasi - Ampofo, Bettie Solomon - Ayeh, Kofi Offei - Nyako, et al. Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management. Urban Reg Plan. 2016;1(1):11-16. doi: 10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13,
      author = {Richard Oduro Asamoah and Isaac Decard I - Nelson and Kwadwo Twumasi - Ampofo and Bettie Solomon - Ayeh and Kofi Offei - Nyako and John Solomon Ankrah},
      title = {Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management},
      journal = {Urban and Regional Planning},
      volume = {1},
      number = {1},
      pages = {11-16},
      doi = {10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.urp.20160101.13},
      abstract = {Wetlands were considered as waste lands for breeding mosquitoes, home for all kinds of shanty settlements with no basic housing facilities. This study seeks to identify the effects of informal activities along wetland areas in Kumasi metropolitan specifically Sepe-Buokrom- Dichemso areas. The study was in a form of case study covering Sepe-Buokrom and Dichemso areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select the various informal activities within the area. The study revealed that the main informal economic activities within the communities were washing bays, mechanical workshops, petty trading, carpentry works, and etc. Majority of businesses operating along the selected areas had permit for their works. Flooding, poor environmental conditions and poor management of waste disposal were the effects of the activities along wetland areas. Malaria and typhoid were the most prevailing diseases within the study areas. Low cost of land and access to customers were some of the reasons people were operating their businesses along wetland areas. The study concludes that, wetlands in Kumasi are undergoing negative transformation and hence losing their social, economic and environmental values due to unsustainable activities including improper waste disposal and unplanned settlement.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management
    AU  - Richard Oduro Asamoah
    AU  - Isaac Decard I - Nelson
    AU  - Kwadwo Twumasi - Ampofo
    AU  - Bettie Solomon - Ayeh
    AU  - Kofi Offei - Nyako
    AU  - John Solomon Ankrah
    Y1  - 2016/05/13
    PY  - 2016
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13
    T2  - Urban and Regional Planning
    JF  - Urban and Regional Planning
    JO  - Urban and Regional Planning
    SP  - 11
    EP  - 16
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1697
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.urp.20160101.13
    AB  - Wetlands were considered as waste lands for breeding mosquitoes, home for all kinds of shanty settlements with no basic housing facilities. This study seeks to identify the effects of informal activities along wetland areas in Kumasi metropolitan specifically Sepe-Buokrom- Dichemso areas. The study was in a form of case study covering Sepe-Buokrom and Dichemso areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select the various informal activities within the area. The study revealed that the main informal economic activities within the communities were washing bays, mechanical workshops, petty trading, carpentry works, and etc. Majority of businesses operating along the selected areas had permit for their works. Flooding, poor environmental conditions and poor management of waste disposal were the effects of the activities along wetland areas. Malaria and typhoid were the most prevailing diseases within the study areas. Low cost of land and access to customers were some of the reasons people were operating their businesses along wetland areas. The study concludes that, wetlands in Kumasi are undergoing negative transformation and hence losing their social, economic and environmental values due to unsustainable activities including improper waste disposal and unplanned settlement.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Construction Division, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Structures, Design and Planning Division, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Structures, Design and Planning Division, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Structures, Design and Planning Division, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Construction Division, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Building and Road Research Institute, Structures, Design and Planning Division, Kumasi, Ghana

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