Towards a sustainable balance between accelerated development and environmental stability in the Dangme West District of Ghana
Loading...
Date
1991-09-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Dangme West District which is the study area is located in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Falling within a fragile coastal savanna ecological zone, current and potential accelerated development programmes and projects may prove detrimental to the available natural resources, ultimately threatening the sustainability of such development.
The study aims at identifying the major current and anticipated environmental effects in the district. Assessment of these effects, various resource and environmental management systems as well as other recommendations to provide solutions to these problems were discussed.
The major environmental problems affecting mainly communities have been discussed. Such observable changes as lost of vegetation and forest cover, soil erosion, steam channel behaviour and decline in animal species diversity were outlined and reasons for such degradations interpreted in the light of the various human and economic activities prevalent in the district. Changes in temperature avid increasing unreliability of precipitation have also been discussed. Bushfires, their causes, effects and community feelings were analysed. The problems of sanitation and health as well as the effects of the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on the district were also carefully examined.
At the end, the study concludes with recommendations to check and reverse the fast deteriorating environmental conditions in the study area.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Science in Development Planning and Management, 1991