Water Quality Status Within The Anchorage Space of Tema Harbour, Ghana

Marine pollution is attributable to anthropogenic introductions of contaminants above their natural background levels and being dispersed by ocean forcing. Assemblages of vessels within offshore platforms and seaport terminals could also be potential sources for marine water contamination. As such, nearshore perimeters of the Tema Port were assessed to review the vessel register and the seawater quality through Automatic Identification System (AIS), in-situ and laboratory analysis. The results of analysed satellite data suggested ~1,600 commercial vessels of over 50 flag states including Ghana were present in the West Africa territorial waters between 2016 and 2020. Bacterial load shows the following order: total heterotrophic bacterial [THB] (364-468 cfu/mL) > total coliform [TC] (26-73 cfu/100 mL) > faecal coliform [FC] (1-13 cfu/100 mL). Phytoplankton species abundances were in order Ceratium spp. (31.8%) >Protoperidinium spp. (30.1%) > Dinophysis spp. (9.3%) > Coscinodiscus sp. (7.3%) > Lingulodinium polyedra (6.9%) = Nitzschia sp. (6.9%). Water temperature ranged between 23.9 and 27.5 oC (surface to 25.4 m depth), salinity 36.03 ± 0.51‰, dissolved oxygen 6.54 ± 0.94 mg/L and pH 8.18 ± 0. 06. Phosphate, ammonia, Cd, As, and Pb levels were low (0.01 to 0.153 mg/L). Nitrate, silicate and Mg were relatively high (0.7 - 2.18 mg/L). Pearson correlation coefficient displayed 0.05 and 0.01 significant levels between total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity and salinity, and dissolved oxygen and temperature and arsenic levels. Normalization physicochemical data suggested thermal stratification at 15 m depth. Nutrient and biological results indicated normal water quality conditions, however, relatively high levels of phytoplankton including harmful and toxic species suggested excess nutrient contamination in the study area. Further assessment is recommended to ascertain the link between phytoplankton and nutrient load at the anchorage space.&nbsp

An Integrated Assessment of the Ecological Health Status of Coastal Aquatic Ecosystems of Ada in Ghana

This paper aims at assessing the ecological health status of aquatic ecosystems in the coastal area of Ada in Ghana. Healthy aquatic ecosystems are characterized by high species diversity, good water and habitat quality among others. An ecological assessment was conducted to describe the landuse pattern, water quality and habitat quality of critical aquatic ecosystems. Physicochemical parameters of water were monitored for three months each in the dry and wet seasons. Biological components which composed of macroinvertebrate and aquatic macrophyte were studied to determine the biodiversity status. The results revealed that 70% of the sampled aquatic ecosystems have concentrations of water parameters within the limits of natural background levels. However, the concentrations of nitrates and phosphates were significantly higher than the recommended World Health Organization (WHO) standards for healthy aquatic ecosystems. With regards to landuse and habitat quality, seventy percent (70%) of the sampled ecosystems were found to be in poor condition. Increasing effort on awareness programmes is needed to improve community participation to ensure proper disposal of domestic and industrial waste

Assessing Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices and Challenges in the Techiman Municipality, Ghana

Managing waste efficiently is essential for building sustainable, livable and healthy communities but this remains a challenge for many municipal governments due to limited municipal budget and other logistical challenges. Such challenges result in ineffective waste collection and disposal. However, identifying the challenges associated with municipal solid waste management often lead to developing solutions to mitigate the problem. This paper assesses the waste management practices and challenges within the Techiman municipality, the regional capital of the Bono East Region. By sampling residents’ perceptions and experiences it was observed that households and patrons were dissatisfied with Techiman’s Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). Statistically the per capita per day rate of waste generation was 0.48kg/ per capita/per day, being higher than Ghana’s municipal waste generation of 0.40 kg/per capita/per day. Lack of collection of waste from the transfer stations to the landfill sites has resulted in about 67 heaps of uncollected waste in the municipality. The results show that lack of source separation and recycling, broken down trucks, low participation of private sector in waste collection, non-compliance of by-laws, poor road infrastructure leading to the landfill site, and inefficient landfill site have contributed to the waste problem in the municipality. Resorting to source separation, educating the public on waste management bye laws, increasing private sector participation and establishing engineered landfill sites can substantially contribute to sustainable Municipal Waste Management in the Techiman Municipality

Assessing Landcover Changes from Coastal Tourism Development in Ghana: Evidence from the Kokrobite-Bortianor Coastline, Accra

As a major driver of landcover change, tourism-based developments are growing rapidly along different part of Ghana’s 560 km coastline. Kokrobite and Bortianor, with their serene environment, relatively clean, and pristine sandy beaches, have become popular coastal tourism destinations for tourists, recreationist, and holiday seekers in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. This study assesses how landcover changes emanating from coastal tourism establishments such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, and recreational facilities are affecting the socio-ecological landscape of the area. In this study, we utilize the maximum likelihood supervised classification along with post classification change detection techniques to analyze Landsat images for the years 1990, 2000 and 2010. Landcover maps of the different years were created and used to analyze changes occurring along the coastline of Kokrobite and Bortianor. Assembled results showed that built-up areas associated largely with tourism-based establishments have increased substantially from 1.02 km2 (16%) to 2.20 km2 (34.6%) between 1990 and 2010. Approximately 60% of the Kokrobite and Bortianor coastline’s natural ecosystem has been converted into different forms of tourism-based facilities such as hotels, resorts and settlements. Conversely, all forms of vegetative cover–riverine, dense active, and shrub/herbaceous cover are declining significantly. Increased tourist and recreationist demands along with the rapid urban growth in Accra is a preeminent cause of the current trends of developments. Regrettably, majority of the tourism-based establishments are unplanned, lacking authorization from development institutions and agencies, a reflection of the lack of a coherent integrated coastal zone management plan and functional urban landuse policy in Ghana. The result is a significant encroachment and degradation of the coastal ecosystems. Considering the already vulnerable state of most coastal areas in Ghana including Kokrobite and Bortianor, such developments could aggravate social and ecological vulnerability if left unchecked. In line with this, this study recommends the urgent need for a functional integrated coastal zone management plan and resourced institutions and agencies to enable effective management and regulation of developments in coastal zones in Ghana. Ultimately, coastal tourism, with all its recognized and potential socio-economic benefits to local and national economies can only be sustained with an ecologically productive coastal zone. Keywords: Tourism, Coastal tourism, Landcover, Kokrobite and Bortianor, Erosio

Climate change linked to failing fisheries in coastal Ghana

In the coastal area of Accra, Ghana, fish catch has significantly decreased over the last two decades as average sea surface temperatures have steadily risen. Hampered by minimal investments and limited use of technologies, the small-scale fisheries sector in Ghana is considered very vulnerable and poorly adaptable to climate change. The National Canoe Fishermen Association, the Marine Fisheries Research Division (MFRD), and meteorological authorities need to collaborate to sensitize and educate fishers about the impacts of climate change on fisheries, and the need to reduce vulnerability by diversifying their livelihood base

The Volta River Project: planning, housing and resettlement in Ghana, 1950–1965

This paper investigates the housing schemes proposed in connection with the Volta River Project, Ghana, in the mid-1950s to early 1960s. The Volta River Project formed part of Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for Ghana’s modernisation and industrialisation in the wake of political independence. Three associated worker housing schemes demonstrated somewhat contradictory design and construction methods, from high specification, extensive amenities and comprehensive servicing, through to self-build ‘core’ houses amounting to little more than single room dwellings. The first at Kpong was a ‘top-down’ masterplan proposed by the American planner Albert Mayer. There was significant ambition in this approach that could have resulted in a major new conurbation for Ghana and delivered a strong political message of intent for the newly independent nation. However, the funding model for producing the new town relied on foreign investment and the town’s lavish social ambition and full provision of amenities were deemed too expensive for the sponsoring Canadian-UK Aluminium smelters. Despite the political desire to improve the quality of these housing estates, they represented a kind of a neo-colonial approach with African residents as passive recipients and the estates seem as symbolic manifestations of modernisation, rather than comprehensive attempts at rehousing the masses. The planners for two further schemes that followed at Ajena mooted the option of fully prefabricated housing before finally settling on a ‘self-build’ approach using prefabricated components. There was still a desire to provide a fixed, resolved and ‘complete’ site plan along with schools, markets, community centres and hospitals, but these too were prohibitively expensive to realise and to sustain. The only housing proposal that was successfully implemented and sustained was at New Ajena, which was a compromise between prefabrication and self-build approaches. This was deeply influenced by the internationally recognised ‘Site and Services’ approach, with Charles Abrams and Otto Koenigsberger advocating housing that was regulated and loosely planned, whilst also exploiting local materials and skills. It was a method that John F. C. Turner would go on to widely promote following his pioneering work in South America, but it is important to stress that earlier precedent existed at the Ghanaian planned neighbourhood of Asawasi in the 1940s, with a non-determinant approach to site planning. At New Ajena, basic single room structures with a verandah known as ‘Core Houses’ would be built by skilled and paid labour using local materials. These enabled the new residents to quickly occupy the structures without the need for temporary or remote housing in the interim. The Core Houses could then be gradually extended and improved according to a prescribed plan and quality to suit the residents’ needs and budget. The paper concludes that whilst the schemes all intended to improve lives of locals through the provision of housing , paradoxically the most successful project to incorporate indigenous agency and true collaboration was the semi-formal ’Combined Area’ housing at Akosombo. By tracing the history of housing proposals that led to this particular combined approach, and supplemented with the findings of several field trips to the settlements in question, this paper unravels its success as a positive model for shared agency and collaboration in planning, housing and facilities delivery. Sitting along side the carefully manicured plan of Akosombo, with its regulated market, excellent health care and desire to set high standards of cleanliness, the Combined Area has not only provided homes for the lower-paid and labouring workers of the town, but has developed over time into a settlement where professionals and retired government workers are also now residing, not out of necessity but by choice. By actively developing their own homes, shared spaces and amenities there has developed a strong sense of ownership, community and identity. The success, and level of attachment to this settlement clearly extends beyond its material presence and through the shared experience of helping to cultivate a place of one’s own