Towards effective management of rural roads in Ghana - the case of Ejura-Sekyedumasi Ddistrict

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1997-03-07
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Rural roads are indisputably a necessary ingredient of nearly every aspect of socio-economic development. It is a catalyst for inducing rural development. The relationship between transport and development, especially rural development, is a subject. of considerable importance and should be emphasized in most development efforts. In spite of their importance, rural roads in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi District are plagued by lack of funds for maintenance, financially and technically weak road sector institutions at the district level and consequently, a large backlog of rehabilitation work has built up. The objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the management of rural roads in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi District; (2) to investigate the role of Ejura-Sekyedumasi District Assembly in the financing and management of rural roads; (3) to assess the role of the other locally-based stakeholders in the management of rural roads; and (4) to make recommendations for an effective management of transport infrastructure at the district level. The methodology employed for the research was a case study approach. Data used for the research entailed primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected with the help of structured questionnaire and the Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) method. In selecting the sample proportion for the research, the multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted. The first-stage sampling involved the stratification of the settlements and the second-stage sampling involved the selection of household heads from the stratified settlements. The selection criteria for the settlements were based on the following: i. population; ii. accessibility; and iii. major crops produced. A random sampling technique was applied for the second-stage sampling to select a sample size of 274 household heads, which is 0.3 per cent of the district’s 1996 total projected population of 91,391. For the secondary data collection, official reports, census reports and transportation- related archival materials were consulted. The study clearly indicates that the management of rural roads in Ejura-Sekyedumasi District cannot be handled only by the Department of Feeder Roads and the Government of Ghana. Other stakeholders should be involved. The GPRTU, the District Assembly and the community at large are all interested parties who can be involved in the management of rural roads in the district. Against this background, the ideal management framework should incorporate a blend of the Department of Feeder Roads and all the stakeholders’ expertise. The study therefore recommends that for management of rural roads to be effective, it must be comprehensive and co-ordinated with other aspect of the overall development planning process, and must also meet the requirements of the local population at large.
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A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Development Planning and Management, 1997
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