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Land is inelastic in supply. The judicious use of land within the urban land space is thus critical. Regrettably, little research has been done on planning and managing public cemeteries in Kumasi, Ghana. This study, incorporating insights from four public cemeteries and feedback from 79 participants, assesses the legislative and policy frameworks governing cemetery management in Kumasi. It also examines the condition of these cemeteries and identifies the challenges to their proper upkeep. Data were gathered through structured interviews and direct observation and were analysed thematically. Findings indicate that cemetery management in Kumasi is a collaborative task between Traditional Authorities and the local government, each operating under their respective but similar laws. Some of these cemeteries need more essential facilities, making them substandard in their current state, primarily due to financial limitations that impede effective management. This study makes recommendations to guide the effective and sustainable management of public cemeteries in Kumasi and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, ecologically sensitive areas in cities in the global south have deteriorated due to weak enforcement of development control regulations. The present study assesses the level of awareness of the buffer regulations and offers a critique of the regulations on ecologically sensitive areas in Ghana. The researchers obtained primary data from respondents whose houses were located within 200 feet of the buffers of River Wiwi, River Sisai and River Daaban in Kumasi. Secondary data was also obtained from documents from regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. Overall, the results of the study point to disparities in the buffer regulations among agencies such as the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and Environmental Planning Agency. The differences in the buffer regulations among these regulatory institutions make the enforcement of the regulations complex and ineffective. The results further show that seven in ten of the residents of the Kumasi city who have located within the buffers of wetlands were unaware of the buffer regulations despite the policy's objective of ensuring public awareness of the policy. The authors suggest the need to consolidate the buffer regulations of the various regulatory agencies within the Ghanaian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the determinants of place attachment among flood victims in the two low-income communities of Aboabo and Asawase in Kumasi, Ghana. It draws on empirical evidences from 203 households and key informants to explore the enduring communal mobilisation and social capital exhibited by victims during and after floods. The study reveals context-specific structural and non-structural coping strategies, shaped by intense local knowledge, lived experiences and attachment to place of affected households. We recommend that local knowledge and residents' attachments to their neighbourhoods be mainstreamed into the design of community-based flood risk management frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the impact of social support on elderly well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial, given its absorptive potential in mitigating the adverse effects of distressful circumstances. This study examines the influence of socio-demographic characteristics and social support on the well-being of older adults (aged 50+) in Ghana. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey with a quantitative approach to collect data from 400 older adults residing in the Accra and Kumasi metropolitan areas. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit the participants. Categorical regression analysis was employed to estimate the associations between socio-demographic factors, social support dimensions, and the well-being of older adults. Of the eleven variables used, six were significant predictors of well-being. In their order of importance, enacted social support (β = 0.496), social integration (β = 0.252), perceived social support (β = 0.149), educational level (β = 0.121), gender (β = 0.074), and employment status (β = -0.017) were the predictors of well-being among the sample. The strongest and weakest predictive factors of well-being within the sample are enacted social support and employment status, respectively. The study emphasizes that focus should not solely be on socio-demographic factors when addressing the well-being of older adults during distressful situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, it highlights the paramountcy or primacy of social support in mitigating the harmful impact of the pandemic on their well-being. Interventions should prioritize strengthening older individuals' access to diverse social support options for enhanced well-being. Subjects: Health & Development; Sociology & Social Policy; Aging [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in human activities in urban areas resulting from the urbanisation process continues to put immense pressure on urban ecological resources including water bodies. This study seeks to assess the relationship between the various categories of human activities within the 100 m buffer of the major water bodies in the Kumasi Metropolis and the chemical and biological composition of the pollutants that are emitted into the water bodies. The findings of this study showed that the Kumasi Metropolis is confronted with weak enforcement of regulations that protect water bodies. For example, along the Subin River, human activities such as commercial activities and the development of squatter settlements did not conform to the standard setback average distance of 100 feet in the Zoning Regulation and Planning Standards. There is a need for city authorities to strategically respond to the various human activities that threaten the sustainability of water resources in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to fill the information gap by exploring pedestrian behavior at footbridges in the Greater Accra and Kumasi Metropolitan areas of Ghana. Further, the study modelled the behavior of 69,840 pedestrians at the footbridges using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Pedestrians were observed as users and non-users of seven selected footbridges in the morning (7:00 am–9:00 am), afternoon (11:00 am–1:00 pm), and evening (3:00 pm–5:00 pm) periods for seven consecutive days (Monday to Sunday). Selected footbridges were characterized by traffic generators as schools, shopping malls, bus stops, office complexes, and restaurants in different matrices. The results showed that 30.7% of the observed pedestrians did not use the footbridges, males and young pedestrians were more likely not to use the footbridges as opposed to females and the elderly with more than half of observed pedestrians carrying luggage or load. Footbridge users were more likely to talk and hold phones than non-users and the elderly were more likely to run and ride compared to young pedestrians. Officials of the National Road Safety Authority should carry out effective public education on pedestrian safety targeting males and young pedestrians to encourage the use of pedestrian footbridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ghana, a population of teenage head porters have made the streets their sole living and breathing space. They are faced with several challenges as they live and work on the streets. The era of COVID-19 amidst several safety protocols that should be followed including maintaining physical and social distance as well as reducing movements appears to be detrimental to the survival patterns of teenager head porters as they live and work on the streets. Consequently, the study explores the experiences of teenage head porters in the wake of the pandemic to draw practice implications. Evidence was collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews with 20 teenage head porters in Kumasi, Ghana. Narratives were analyzed thematically using reflective thematic analysis procedures. The study identified Kinship neglect and high exposure to infection as over-arching challenges experienced by teenage head porters on the streets amidst COVID-19. The study suggests providing emergency state intervention programs to aid teenage head porters' survival. Findings also support working with social workers to spearhead the campaign for these interventions as a humanitarian profession and recommend that the Department of Social Welfare collaborates with some agencies and organizations like the street children's project in Accra and Kumasi to provide alternative economic engagements like vocational training to take them out of the streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of solid waste management has been subjected to a variety of reactions and interpretations: strange mixtures of neglect and misconceptions of what could be the way forward. Over the years, Ghanaian authorities have problematized issues of waste management to collection and transportation and have shied away from formulating policies that can limit conflicts in waste sink communities. This article examines how a landfill infrastructure in Kumasi has engendered conflicts. Triggers of the conflicts and key actors involved are examined using data generated from a questionnaire survey of 160 households obtained through the quadrant method. The results show that three actors are involved in the conflicts: the chiefs and residents on one side and municipal authorities on the other. While the chiefs accuse municipal authorities of illegally acquiring the landfill site and of non-compensation payment, concerns of community members are their alienation from site management as enjoined by law. They also argue that the facility has degraded the environment and divested the local economy. The paper concludes that context and situation are significant for how, where and to what degree solid waste is disposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Care provision by single mothers to autism children in traditional communities in Ghana is widespread. As care for children is generally a challenging task, single mothers with autistic children face a double challenge because they have to give extra care and attention solely. Consequently, this study explores the experiences of single mothers caring for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to help pinpoint prevailing setbacks to draw practice implications. Evidence was collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with 15 single mothers in Kumasi, Ghana. Narratives were analyzed thematically following the reflective thematic analysis procedures. The study identified stigmatization and rejection, financial strains and stagnation of social life as predisposing challenges experienced by single mothers of autistic children. The study suggests the need to sensitize people not to reject families with the condition as it is medical and not superstitious. The study also stresses the need for state interventions including enrolling poor mothers with autistic children into state programs like the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Program (LEAP). The study suggests that further research is needed to solicit the views of the extended family members of women parenting autistic children on the best ways to overcome the challenges identified in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although assessing the cost of workplace injuries and illnesses as part of occupational health and safety management is important in ensuring workplace safety, the issue is generally neglected among informal auto-artisans in Ghana. This paper examines the costs of occupational injuries and illnesses in terms of productivity, financial and social aspects of selected auto-artisans who service or fabricate auto parts in Suame 'Magazine' in Kumasi, Ghana. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional design, data were collected from 957 auto-artisans selected through a multistage cluster sampling method. The study found that the most frequent occupational illnesses and injuries experienced by the auto-artisans are those related to sharp objects (83.9%), inhalation of dust particles (45.8%), objects falling from height (35.6%) and burns (21.8%). These injuries and illnesses have led to loss of productivity and income which affects family members with no variations between the various categories of auto-artisans (p = 0.976). It is concluded that occupational injuries and illnesses among informal auto-artisans presents enormous financial and emotional costs to survivors and their families. It is recommended that government should lead a policy dialogue on safety in the country's informal sector, while supporting artisans to establish insurance schemes to support them in times of injuries and illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red light running places the violator and other road users at risk of road traffic crash. The aim of this research was to undertake a baseline study to establish the current rate of red light running in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana and to determine the associated risk factors. An uninterrupted road side observational survey was conducted at 10 signalized intersections using pro-forma checklist. A binary logit model was employed to determine the risk factors associated with traffic light violations. Overall, drivers were observed running the red light in 35% of all the red phases studied. From the statistical model, red light running was found to be influenced by the age and gender of the driver, presence of a passenger in the vehicle, vehicle type, junction type, cycle length of the signal and queue length. There is a need for targeted public awareness campaigns on the dangers of red light running. The education on red light violation must be accompanied by sustained Police enforcement of the traffic law to reduce the rate of violation. Automatic surveillance cameras should be installed at all critical signalized intersections to supplement Police efforts to enforce traffic safety laws and regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines agricultural livelihood effects of urban sprawl and farmers' response in peri-urban Kumasi, Ghana, involving in-depth interviews with sixty farmers (n = 60) and four key informants (n = 4). Greater Kumasi has expanded spatially over time resulting in arable land reduction in the peri-urban interface and affecting households in varying ways. This has evoked different responses from affected farmers including agricultural intensification, extensification, diversification and adoption of off-farm livelihood strategies. While some households made livelihood gains in their response, and some livelihood losses, others neither gained nor lost. A mix of livelihood assets, but more importantly human and social capital, were identified as key determinants of the outcomes of households' livelihood strategies employed. To protect arable land from urban encroachment and reduce peri-urban households' vulnerabilities the following policy interventions are noteworthy: effective spatial planning through institutional strengthening, legislative enforcement and widening market for agricultural goods and expanding non-farm jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite official introduction of the universal national health insurance scheme (NHIS) and Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in Ghana since 2003, most Ghanaians still don't seem to have spatial access to healthcare. Based on a case study of Kumasi, this paper discusses spatial accessibility to health facilities in Ghana using the Generalized Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Method. Overall, the results showed that most people in the study area could reach a hospital within 20 minutes, but those in peri-urban areas have very limited spatial access to health facilities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world experiencing the highest rates of urbanization and population growth. However, the expansion of cities in sub-Saharan Africa is following a different trajectory than cities in the rest of the world, especially in Europe and North America. Indeed, urbanization on the African subcontinent has not been preceded by economic development and industrialization. The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of the process of urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa by comparing and contrasting two major cities of Ghana, Accra and Kumasi. We combined remote sensing methods and spatial metrics to compare the growth, built-up density, land use composition, and fragmentation of Accra and Kumasi between 2000 and 2010. Results show that Accra and Kumasi grew at an annual rate of 4.5% and 6% respectively. Residential land use constituted the major addition in both cities. Accra, the capital city of Ghana, added the most non-residential built-up land. Moreover, growth in both cities was compact, with new built-up land use occurring adjacent to existing urban land at the beginning of the study period in 2000. Finally, the urban-rural interface located within a 2 km buffer beyond the urban core experienced the greatest amount of fragmentation between 2000 and 2010 for both cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is an important zoonosis worldwide. Q fever is documented in many parts of the world; however, information on the disease in Ghana is scanty. This study was therefore conducted to provide evidence of exposure of sheep and goats slaughtered at the Kumasi Abattoir to Coxiella burnetii. A total of 350 serum samples collected from 175 sheep and 175 goats were analyzed for the presence of C. burnetii antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit (ID Vet). Results of the study established a seroprevalence of 28.57% in goats, 16.57% in sheep and an overall seroprevalence of 22.29% in sheep and goats; 20.57% for male sheep, 23.86% for female sheep, 26.44% for male goats and 30.68% for female goats. Results showed that goats are more at risk to the infection than sheep however sex is not a risk factor. This study confirms the existence of Q fever in sheep and goats in Ghana hence, the disease should be considered as a public health risk to workers at the abattoir and other stakeholders in the sheep and goat production chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Studies on the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers and the strategies they employ to control occupational hazards are lacking in Ghana. In this study, we aimed at examining the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana and further explore their coping mechanisms. By employing a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted among 172 bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. We found that the participants were exposed to different types of occupational hazards, including physical (noise, flour dust/smoke, fire, and high temperature), biological (mosquitoes, insects and rodents), psychosocial (stress, verbal abuse, and poor interpersonal relationship), chemical (chemicals in the local soap used to clean and wash napkins after baking), and ergonomic hazards (standing, sitting and bending repetitively). The health risks associated with exposure to the different forms of occupational hazards include rhinitis, excessive cough, irritation of the eye and wheezing, resulting in breathlessness, burns, scalds, dizziness and bodily pain (lower back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, pain in the hand and, muscle spasm and pain in the leg). The coping mechanisms employed to control occupational hazards comprise the use of a wooden and metallic peel to place and remove bread from the oven, use of peel to move excess fire from the oven, use of mosquito repellent and coil, rest breaks and staying hydrated. The findings of this study are therefore critical to informing policymakers in implementing occupational health and safety policies to safeguard the health of bakers in Ghana and other LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the struggle for existence of contrasting spaces within an urban milieu drawing on experiences from Ghana. By analysing remotely sensed images and review of relevant literature, the dynamics of change in the urban green–grey landscape were examined. While the grey (impermeable) space has increased from 23.3% to 77.6% between 1986 and 2016, green (permeable) space has declined from 76.7% to 24.4% within the same period. Rapidly growing and sprawling city, operating within a weak institutional framework, underlies the changes in land use/land cover in the Metropolis. This trend poses potential socio-environmental threat to the immediate city environment and even beyond. We recommend prioritising greening of the city by Kumasi Metropolitan Authority with the involvement and support of all stakeholders. This demands public education and effective functioning of institutions through adequate resourcing, collaboration and coordination within the broad framework of the new Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (Act 925). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study aimed to assess reciprocity qualities in childcare and likely influences on child health outcomes. Informants were 83 child caregivers from the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. Of these, 56 individual maternal (n = 28) and non-maternal child caregivers (n = 28) completed in-depth individual interviews. Another 23 participated completed focus group discussions, while four key informants shared their expert views on the subject-matter. All the participants responded to open-ended questions on positive and negative reciprocity in childcare. Thematic analysis of the data revealed dyads of positive reciprocal maternal and household non-maternal supports for child well-being. Conversely, negative reciprocal relational outcomes between maternal and non-maternal caregivers were detrimental to children, placing them at risk for various forms of maltreatment. Future studies should consider the conditions in which positive reciprocity is likely to thrive with a view to promoting sustainable child caregiving in Ghanaian societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about female sex workers' daily lives or emotional relationships. Using relational-cultural theory, this study explored the relationship dynamics between sex workers and their intimate partners in Kumasi, Ghana. We collected qualitative data from 37 male intimate partners through 24 in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 13 male partners. We also conducted three FGDs with 20 women involved in sex work. Relationships between sex workers and their intimate partners were mutual, reciprocal and transactional. Male partners provided protection for financial support, a place to sleep and intimacy. Both men and women described their relationships in terms of friendship, love and a hopeful future. Women were reluctant to quit sex work because they depended on it for income. Most respondents did not use condoms in these romantic relationships, citing trust, love, faithfulness and commitment. Both men and women described high levels of violence in their relationships. The context of sex work heightens vulnerability but also appears to facilitate resilience and creative coping strategies. The relational dynamics between sex workers and their intimate partners in Ghana merit further exploration to examine the extent to which women involved in sex work hold and exert power within these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Ghana has been plagued by increasing and disastrous fire emergencies, yet little research exists on Ghana’s fire response system. This paper examines the emergency fire response system in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city. We use spatial analysis to evaluate the geographic distribution of existing fire stations and their service areas, and identify coverage gaps based on specified response times. Our results show that large portions of the Kumasi Metropolitan Area are underserved, a situation that partly explains the huge losses in property and lives during recent fire outbreaks. Efficient location of fire stations using simple location–allocation models can help to improve response to fire emergencies and reduce the cost of fire outbreaks in African cities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research has revealed that frontline hotel employees experience work-related stress. However, there is dearth of research on coping strategies employed by these employees in the Kumasi metropolis. The paper, therefore, examines the coping strategies used by frontline hotel employees. Questionnaires were administered to 296 respondents. Majority of the respondents employ problem-focused coping strategies. The few emotion-focused strategies included drug and alcohol use. With the exception of educational level and problem-focused coping strategy, there were no statistically significant differences between the remaining socio-demographics and problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies employed. The use of drugs and alcohol as coping strategies should be discouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identified and assessed the differences in the extent to which location factors were considered by hotel owners based on certain characteristics of their hotels in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. The behavioural thought on industrial location decisions was used as a framework to identify and assess hotel owners’ location decisions. Data on hotel location decisions were collected from 153 hotel owners in the Kumasi Metropolis and analysed with the chi-square test of independence. It was found that the extent to which location factors such as economic, neighbourhood characteristics, physical site characteristics, laws and regulations, socio-cultural and transport factors considered by hotel owners differed by hotel location, hotel category, ownership, age of hotel and the number of rooms in a hotel. Hotel location factors are considered differently based on hotel characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the concept of the apprenticeship seems to be universal, its institutional form and status differ around the world. This article discusses informal apprenticeship training as it occurs among car mechanics in the informal industrial complex of the Suame Magazine, Kumasi, Ghana. Using on-site research and theories of social learning and material culture, it focuses on the material aspects of the apprenticeship training and shows that materiality is, in multiple ways, a crucial aspect for both the content and learning practices of the apprenticeship system. The material nature of the Suame Magazine forms a strong learning environment and the status of apprentices is also directly related to the mastering of specific car parts. Moreover, the increasing use of electronics in vehicles demands a different curriculum for apprentices. The role of materiality in social learning is an apparent, though understudied, element in apprenticeship systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a model for evaluating the consequences of increasing block tariff pricing policies when multiple households share a connection and applies it to a sample from Kumasi, Ghana. Results show that for any given consumption, a household's average share of total monthly water bill for shared connections can either be higher or lower than its single-household equivalent. Significant differences between the average and single-household equivalent bills were found in these cases, although this difference is under-estimated if the sample is not disaggregated by payment group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the method of calculating the scale of housing need in the Kumasi, Ghana. It is stated that the household size and comparisons are major determinants of housing need in the country. The approach used two likely variations in household size distribution and a measure of preference. The two household distribution takes account on both trends and changes which may occur if and when new housing is provided. In addition, the preferred supply equates households perceived need to their ability to pay at latest rents.

This paper recounts and reflects on conversations about love and sexuality conducted with young people in Kumasi and Endwa, Ghana. It examines the settings of these conversations – in a kinship-based household, secondary schools and Pentecostal churches – and explores young people's reticence to talk about such matters in the light of intergenerational respect. Analysing young people's strategies of silence and provocative speech, the paper shows that, paradoxically, schools and churches provide institutionalised spaces for young people's subversive outspokenness that contrasts with the ethical codex of decency as the expression of hierarchical relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]