Beyond poverty and criminalization: Splintering youth groups and ‘conflict of governmentalities’ in urban Ghana

Youth violence is a universal phenomenon and can take many shapes and forms. In Ghana the upsurge, scale and scope of such violence in major cities are becoming worrying, making it imperative to examine the nexus between poverty, splintering youth groups, and crime. Typically, youth criminal and antisocial behaviour raise questions as to whether city authorities lack effective structures to cope with increasing urbanization or are being overly accommodating to varying crime responses, some of which are above and beyond legal policing measures. Using content analysis of media reports, archival records, scholarly literature, 50 key informant interviews (KIIs), and 15 focus group discussions (FGDs), we examine the multiple fields of youth ‘governmentalities’ and their preoccupation with security issues—issues that are of great significance to formal state institutions. Borrowing from the philosophy of methodological individualism embedded in rational choice theory, our study reveals the emergence of a number of local youth groups whose activities, predicated mainly on the quest for better livelihood, incorporate varied rationalities, techniques, and practices, some of which are negatively impacting on the urban fabric. We contend that some of these activities not only challenge the legitimacy of the state but also call into question the ability of the official institutions responsible for maintaining law and order to guarantee protection and secure justice for all.Keywords: urbanization; youth groups; organized crime; governmentalities; Ghan

The e-waste conundrum: Balancing evidence from the North and on-the-ground developing countries’ realities for improved management

E-waste is currently the fastest-growing waste stream, posing major global management challenges. One of the unintended outcomes of this growth in the developing world is the increasing presence of informal e-waste recyclers, providing livelihood opportunities, albeit under elevated health-threatening risks and limited protection. Based on a detailed assessment of the context in Ghana, the authors propose a disposal model involving all stakeholders in the development of new state policies for e-waste recycling. Based on the principle of participatory development, the authors posit that the informal sector concentrates on the collection, disassembly and segregation, while the formal sector manages the upstream state-of-the-art processing requiring more capital and technology investment, and expertise. Tackling e-waste management at the two extremes will build a broader consensus for a greener agenda and mitigate the potential environmental pollution embedded in current practices. Although the authors’ model is proposed with reference to the Ghanaian context, it stands a better chance of success and applicability to other developing countries than models that are developed based on developed world experiences.Keywords: E-waste recycling; formal-informal interface; livelihood; waste management; Accr

The Okada War in Urban Ghana: A Polemic Issue or Policy Mismatch?

Abstract: In recent years the government of Ghana and a section of civil society have clashed over whether motorcycle taxis, christened okada, which are fast becoming a major public transport mode, should be encouraged or not. In an apparent submission to public pressure and in pursuance of sustainable urban development, the government eventually enacted landmark legislation banning the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes. Using stakeholders' perspectives, this paper assesses the synergies and tensions between the respective claims and counterclaims. Among the issues raised against okada are traffic congestion, danger to public safety, and worsening environmental impact. Proponents of okada extol the virtues of maneuverability, compatibility with bad roads, and demandresponsiveness. This study does not discount these claims but rather posits that, fundamentally, substantial allocative and technical inefficiencies have generated large public transit deficits and severe highway congestion, thus creating a market niche for okada. Our study highlights three major outcomes. First, it reaffirms the importance of evidence-based policy making as a solution for sustainable development initiatives. Second, it identifies the human security risks associated with a short-term vision and how reactive regulations can prepare the ground for segregation and fragmented access to the urban landscape. Third, it highlights the role of pressure groups and policy makers in shaping and re-defining urban transportation landscapes in an isolated manner. Rather than taking a systematic approach, such groups and policy makers react with little consideration for their clients: the commuters. The findings corroborate our earlier empirical studies, which revealed okada as an unofficial but thriving mobility option

SAIC final technical report : summary and tables : crime and poverty nexus in urban Ghana

This report provides a narrative summary along with tables of publication, conference presentations and other outputs. In contradiction to mainstream criminology literature, data suggests low-class and poor neighbourhoods are less prone to crime and safer than middle-class neighbourhoods. The relative safety of upper-class neighbourhoods was attributed to extensive target-hardening of homes, and higher presence of both state and private security agencies in these neighbourhoods compared to low-class and middle-class neighbourhoods. The study has significant implications for crime mapping and law enforcement interventions as well as overall efforts of the state in crime prevention

Urban crime prevention and community social cohesion: the case of urban Ghana

The research is part of a broader study – ”Exploring Crime and Poverty Nexus in Urban Ghana.” The focus of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is eliminating features of neighborhoods and housing design that may increase crime – at the design stage, or modifying existing estates in order to reduce crime and the fear of crime. Architecture and building designs should enhance community bonding and social cohesion rather than weaken them. The paper outlines four CPTED core principles towards better housing and crime prevention: Target hardening; Natural surveillance; Natural access control; Natural territorial reinforcement

Flood risk reduction and resilient city growth in sub-Saharan Africa: searching for coherence in Accra's urban planning

Urban resilience experts have highlighted that frequent extreme weather events are a result of rapid, unplanned development and climate change. To ensure coherent urban planning, effective land governance has been a priority since the introduction of the national urban policy in 2012. However, despite implementing this policy for over a decade, poor land governance continues to negatively impact city development, yet this subject has received limited academic attention. Our study focuses on Santa Maria, a community historically neglected by planning officials and currently facing unregulated urbanization and increasing flood risks. We used qualitative research methods, including key informant interviews and document reviews, to unpack land ownership and management complexities. These complexities have led to “planning by the commons,” the creation of green space deserts, and challenges related to residents' mobility and livelihood. Our study affirms that auto-constructed communities like Santa Maria reflect a form of tenacious urbanism that should be acknowledged and respected. Incorporating its logic into proposals for consolidation, informed by the opinions and desires of the residents themselves, can help integrate “planning by the commons” into the urban planning process of Accra. Rather than being viewed as a problem to be cured, this approach should be incorporated into the planning process, incorporating locally specific social functions and traditional structures to ensure equitable and just urban societies. The public sector must recognize that building on local capacity, skills, and expertise is essential in the quest for a resilient city. The experience from Santa Maria provides a great opportunity to nurture local development, fulfill the growing demand for solutions and services without biases, and provide an excellent opportunity for inclusive growth

Assessment of households’ perceptions of private security companies and crime in urban Ghana

The article is structured into four sections. The first deals with the global rise of private security companies (PSCs) and the Ghanaian case, while section two looks at the study’s methodology. Section three presents findings in terms of the paper’s objectives. The last section provides conclusions of the research. Based on informant interviews as well as a survey of 2,745 households undertaken in key Ghanaian cities the study critically examines household perceptions of PSCs. Contrary to dominant propositions in the literature, the household survey identified job creation and business as the most important drivers for the proliferation of PSCs

Urban encroachment in ecologically sensitive areas: drivers, impediments and consequences

The drivers and consequences of unregulated urban expansion processes in Accra, Ghana, are examined together with the associated encroachment upon ecologically sensitive areas in the city’s rapidly growing periphery. Three sites are considered which attracted settlers from vastly different economic segments of the urban population from the 2000s and onwards. A combination of geographical information system (GIS)-based analysis, evidence from a recent household survey, insights from a range of key informant interviews and field observations provide evidence for the dynamics of urban expansion and settlement consolidation. These dynamics wield significant pressure on ecologically sensitive areas, 'e.g.' wetlands, riparian zones and coastal lagoons, which are transformed into housing development through drainage, landfilling, channelling of streams and construction of barriers. Encroachment upon ecologically sensitive areas is associated with intensifying flood hazards. Key impediments are identified for the preservation of ecologically sensitive areas within the specific urban governance context of Accra. Encroachment is not necessarily driven by poverty or low income; it occurs for several socio-economic situations. Governance and enforcement in planning need improvement. Such insights must inform efforts to promote more sustainable trajectories of urban expansion, allowing cities to accommodate rapidly growing populations while preserving ecologically sensitive areas and benefiting from crucial ecosystem services. 'Policy relevance' Critical impediments exist in planning urban expansion. Insights are provided on why ecologically sensitive areas are not sufficiently protected from urban encroachment. These include the intricacies of regulating land transactions in rural and peri-urban areas before incorporation into the built-up area of the city, the ambivalent and overlapping land administration systems, the strong incentives for traditional authorities to commercialise marginal land, the unfeasibility of policing permanent structures, and the lack of cooperation and coordination among local government entities concerning the management of urban watersheds. Within the urban governance context of Accra, encroachment upon ecologically sensitive areas constitutes a ‘wicked’ planning problem that defies rational, technical solutions and which is fraught with multi-causality, multiple perspectives and diverging interests. Insights into these complexities must inform efforts to promote more sustainable trajectories of urban expansion