University of Twente Student Theses
Investigating the influence of oil-induced urbanization on the growth of informal settlements - The Case of Sekondi-Takoradi.
Adom, Eunice (2021) Investigating the influence of oil-induced urbanization on the growth of informal settlements - The Case of Sekondi-Takoradi.
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| Abstract: | Resource boom has been identified in recent years as a driver of urbanization. Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in the Western Region of Ghana has experienced oil-induced urbanization due to the prospects of job and business opportunities associated with the oil discovery, thereby attracting large numbers of migrants both within and outside the region. Even though the presence of oil provides opportunities for economic and social growth, other facets are impacted adversely, including the land and housing sector. This study sought after how the high land and rental values associated with an oil city contributed to the growth of informal settlements, i.e., settlements that do not adhere to building codes, settlements with no tenure security, and settlements with low infrastructure levels. The study also addressed the mode of land acquisition post-oil discovery and assessed the possibility of the oil find influencing existing land tenure systems. Land Administration Institutions were also studied to identify the challenges they have faced post-oil discovery as one of the most significant effects of the oil discovery is the increase in demand for land for housing, industrial and commercial purposes, resulting in increased demand for Land Administration Functions and Services. The study used a qualitative and quantitative approach with primary data collected from key informants of various land administration institutions in the Metropolis and questionnaires administered to land occupants to better appreciate the dynamics in the Metropolis after the oil discovery. This was complemented with a visual interpretation of aerial images of two selected neighbourhoods identified as sprawl areas in the metropolis to understand better the effect of oil discovery on these periphery towns. The study revealed the sprawl of both formal and informal settlements after the oil discovery in both study sites. The level of informality in the selected sites identified as the sprawl areas in the metropolis was minimal. This was due to the relatively low land and property values in these sites compared to values in prime areas in the metropolis. The study also captured the mode of land acquisition and revealed that oil find had minimal impact on land tenure systems in the Metropolis. Land Administration Institutions were found to have encountered various challenges in executing their functions post-oil discovery. Therefore, it was essential to note that Land Administration Institutions encounter various challenges and increased pressure on their line of duty when there is the sudden discovery of resources or a sudden infrastructural project in a city, increasing the city's land demand. Hence, it is recommended that Land Administration Institutions are equipped to meet the demand associated with the change in the city's status when there is a significant venture like an oil find or significant infrastructural projects. The various institutions are also recommended to strengthen collaboration between them to ensure and control the growth of further informal settlements, especially in the face of a resource boom. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | ITC: Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation |
| Programme: | Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation MSc (75014) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/88706 |
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