An appraisal of resettlement schemes south of the Afram Plains: case studies of Amate and Mpaem
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Date
1988-05-08
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Abstract
The study sot out to investigate the planning and. implementation procedures that wore adopted by the Volta River Authority (V.R.A.) and the impact of these on the agricultural and. housing situations in the South Afram Plains. It also intends to investigate the extent to which the local people were involved in the design and implementation of the Volta Resettlement Scheme and to suggest policy guidelines for such schemes in future.
Primary data for the study was obtained through a survey, covering a sample size of 10 per cent. Primarily heads of households and farmers were interviewed.
The policies adopted by the V.R.A. wore mainly on housing and agriculture. The housing policy was to provide a three-room house with a kitchen and bathroom. Enough space was provided for the extension of the houses. The agricultural policy was to modernise the forming activities of the settlers by introducing mechanised farming in the settlements.
A review of the Volta River Scheme was done with special reference to the resettlement aspect.
Some of the problems identified in the study area include inadequate housing and poor constructional works on the houses. The living conditions of the settler’s hove been changed; farming methods and crops cultivated have changed, including eating habits. The introduction of mechanised farming destroyed the traditional method of farming in the settlements. Without the use of tractors, farmers are not able to till the lend using only hoe and cutlass. The farm sizes are insufficient. There was no community involvement in the planning and. implementation of the policies. As a result the settlers are not satisfied with what they were provided.
Having identified those problems, policy guidelines were suggested for future resettlement scheme, examples of which are
i. Appropriate technology should be adopted if the project is to be successful.
ii. The lifestyle of the settler should be considered.
iii. Of utmost importance is the time factor for implementing the project. Enough time should o allocated for that so as not to endanger the lives of the affected people.
iv. The settlers should ho involve in every aspect of the schema; from the planning p1ias to the implementation phase.
Although mistakes have boon made in this particular area it cannot be said that the people and their predicaments should be ignored. There is a need for government intervention in the South Afram Plains, particularly when the settler’s arc prepared to assist in developing the facilities and economic activities of their 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, 1988