A Study of Sekondi-Takoradi by Jerry Chati Tasantab
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AN INSIGHT INTO DEVELOPMENT CONTROL IN URBAN CENTRES OF GHANA; A STUDY OF SEKONDI-TAKORADI BY JERRY CHATI TASANTAB (BSc. (HONS) HUMAN SETTLEMENT PLANNING A Thesis submitted to the Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Planning MAY, 2015 DECLARATION I, Jerry Chati Tasantab, hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the MPhil Planning degree and to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the University, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text. Jerry Chati Tasantab .................... .................... (PG1205013) SIGNATURE DATE CERTIFIED BY: Dr. Charles Peprah ...................... ..................... (SUPERVISOR) SIGNATURE DATE CERTIFIED BY: Dr. Daniel K. B. Inkoom ...................... ..................... (HEAD OF DEPARTMENT) SIGNATURE DATE ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not have been possible without the contribution of certain key personalities. I will therefore take this opportunity to proffer my profound felicitations to them. My utmost gratitude goes to the Almighty God and my Lord Jesus Christ for the strength, wisdom, knowledge and understanding that you gave me to accomplish this task. My God and Father, you have been my provider during this study. I am forever grateful to you. My gratitude also goes to my dad, Mr. Tasantab Bonjei and the entire Bonjei family for their support and encouragement throughout my study. I am eternally indebted to you. I am also very indebted to my supervisor, Dr Charles Peprah for meticulously studying my work and providing valuable insights and guidance that shaped this work. To you I say God richly bless you. I would also like to proffer my sincerest appreciation to my Teacher and Pastor, Dr Daniel K. B. Inkoom, for his encouragement and support during my study. The Lord God you serve with all your life replenish and bless you abundantly. I am also very grateful to Mr Affum, the Metro Town Planning Officer of Sekondi-Takoradi and Miss Nana Efua Ackah of the STMA Physical Planning Department for furnishing me with very valuable information to make this work a success. God bless you and keep you. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who contributed in diverse ways to the success of this thesis. Thank you all. iii ABSTRACT The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis has become the centre of attention in recent times due to the production of oil in commercial quantities beginning in 2007 in the Western Region of Ghana. The result has been an increase in population and land use activities in the metropolis. The question of how these increasing land use activities would be effectively controlled is a matter of concern. This study therefore sought to obtain valuable insights into the development control processes in the metropolis so that useful recommendations can be proffered in order to effectively control the increasing physical development activities. The study adopted a combination of qualitative and quantitative research approach. The primary data used for the analyses were obtained through questionnaires, interviews and field observations. The unit of analysis for the questionnaires was landlords while heads of institutions were selected for the interviews. The results suggest that the urban land has expanded tremendously. The residential land has increased from 52% in 2008 to 55% in 2014. The farmlands on the other hand have decreased from 30% in 2008 to 24% in 2014. To effectively handle the resultant increase in physical development activities, the Physical Planning Department has prepared various land use plans to control physical development. The results further show that 75% of respondents acquired development/building permits before the development of physical structures. However, the acquisition of occupancy and extension permits has been poor. The results again show that public participation in Physical Planning decisions has been limited to information giving at best. The collaboration among the various land use institutions has nevertheless been encouraging. Furthermore, the results revealed that the mainstream development control institutions (the Physical Planning Department and the Building Inspectorate Unit) are constrained in terms of staff and logistics and funds. In view of these findings, major recommendations include the need for effective community participation in the preparation of development plans, intensive public sensitisation on development permit requirements and conditions, and increase in funding to the development control institutions. It is hoped that effective implementation of the recommendations will adequately position the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly to effectively control physical development in the face of the oil induced growth. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION...................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. x LIST OF PLATE..................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................ 3 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................. 4 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY ............................................................................................................. 4 1.6 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY ............................................................................................ 5 1.7 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY .................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER TWO ..................................................................................................................... 7 RELEVANT LITERATURE ON DEVELOPMENT CONTROL ..................................... 7 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2 LAND USE PLANNING .................................................................................................... 7 2.3 DEFINING DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................ 9 2.4 DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AND PROCESSES ......................................................... 10 2.4.1 Purpose of Development Control.................................................................................... 14 2.4.2 Development Regulations ............................................................................................... 15 2.5 THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING SYSTEM AND DEVELOPMENT CONTROL ...................................................................................................................... 17 2.5.1 Responsibilities of the Town and Country Planning Department .................................. 17 2.5.2 Role of Development Plans in Development Control..................................................... 18 2.5.3 Public Participation in Local Planning ........................................................................... 21 2.5.4 The Development Process and Development Control .................................................... 22 v 2.5.5 Development Control through Planning Applications .................................................... 24 2.5.6 Monitoring and Enforcement of Development control Processes .................................. 28 2.5.7 Key Actors in Development Control .............................................................................. 30 2.6 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT CONTROL IN GHANA ..................................................................................................................... 33 2.6.1 Introduction to the Legislative Framework for Town Planning ..................................... 33 2.6.2 Legal Mandate of Town and Country Planning Department from the Acts ................... 34 2.6.3 Specific Provisions for Development Control in Ghana................................................