Examining the urban land management practices in Cape Coast

Abstract

Population trends currently indicate that more than half of Ghana’s population live in urban areas. The pressures of urbanisation and fast growing population in the cities have impacted on land management. This exploratory study examined land management practices in Cape Coast in the light of rapid urbanisation. Purposive sampling was used to solicit information from the Land Sector Agencies and snowballing was used to gather information from private land owners. Interviewing was the primary source of data and secondary data consisted of documents, etc. The study revealed that the legal frameworks regulating land use are fraught with a lot of problems. The findings of the study showed that the contradictions in the legal frameworks are based on the archaic nature of the frameworks. Though the various Land Sector Agencies have explicitly spelt out responsibilities, the study revealed that their duties overlapped as far as inspections are concerned. Their independence as autonomous bodies makes it difficult for them to coordinate and share information. Inadequate human and financial resources, inadequate logistics, inadequate motivation and better remuneration and ignorance of procedure in acquiring building permit by some developers were revealed as some of the challenges that hinder effective land management in Cape Coast. The study recommended that some of the frameworks must be amended or thrown out completely and new ones introduced. The local people must be involved in the planning process and an effective monitoring system introduced. The agencies must be provided with the needed logistics, attractive incentives and infrastructure to ensure that land management is effective to achieve sustainability.