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Infrastructure delivery in rapidly urbanising communal lands : case studies in Ghana

Thesis (MTech (Town and Regional Planning))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, 2006 / The research focuses on urbanising communities in the peri-urban areas of the Tamale
Metropolitan Area (TAMA) of Ghana and the inability of the urban authorities to provide
adequate basic infrastructure services. Using a mix of qualitative and quantitative
research approaches, the author observed that the development planning paradigms
practiced over the years placed urban planning and service delivery in a centralised
paradigm which cannot respond adequately to the increasing pressures of urbanisation,
nor offer opportunities for the involvement of communities due to this top-down planning
approache.
The research in fact identified that the communities, through their own initiatives have
planned and executed service projects to improve their lives in some respects where the
TAMA has failed. The communities have achieved this due to their spirit of social
solidarity, self-help and communalism built around their traditional chiefs, which
incorporates some of the principles of Local Agenda 21. The TAMA sees this
development as an opportunity to henceforth forge collaboration and partnerships with
the traditional authorities for improved service delivery in the urbanising communities.
This represents innovative urban planning and management approaches, which in the
context of low-income urban communities, includes participatory planning and service
delivery.
These innovative approaches have been initiated in the Habitat Agenda emanating from
the UN Conference on Human Settlements in 1996. The study advocates the concept of
sustainable development and Agenda 21, as a working model which presents a
participatory and integrative process for local authorities and communities to work
towards urban improvements. The Local Agenda 21 planning approach, it is argued, will
integrate and strengthen the already existing local community initiatives and provide a
basis for partnerships and improved service delivery.
The case - studies examined are the Tamale Metropolitan Area and the peri-urban
settlements Jusonayili and Gumah.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:cput/oai:localhost:20.500.11838/1448
Date January 2006
CreatorsGyogluu, Sylvester Yinubah
PublisherCape Peninsula University of Technology
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/za/

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