From informal settlements to environmentally sustainable communities: Lessons from Kumasi

Kumasi, Ghana’s fastest growing city, attracts migrants of various backgrounds from both within and outside Ghana. This has contributed to uncontrolled lateral expansions, resulting in informal settlements with inadequate services and facilities. Urban planning is reported to have ensured environmental sustainability in cities of the global north. It however remains unclear the extent of influence of urban planning initiatives in ensuring environmental sustainability of informal settlements. Using two major informal settlements in Kumasi (Aboabo and Sawaba) as cases, the paper thus examines: (i) environmental sustainability literacy of respondents; (ii) existing issues that threaten environmental sustainability; and (iii) urban planning responses toward ensuring environmental sustainability of the settlements. The paper adopts secondary data, household surveys, observation, focus group discussions, and agency interviews to achieve its objectives. The findings generally show a very good understanding of environmental sustainability among respondents. The presence of the communities has both positive and adverse implications on the environmental sustainability of the wider city. Contrary to the dominant narrative that urban informal settlements are often neglected and not considered in formal planning schemes, this study showed otherwise. Despite the many urban planning efforts, the environmental conditions of the communities are fast deteriorating due to a myriad of factors which threatens sustainability. The study makes suggestions to effectively promote the environmental sustainability of urban informal settlements through urban planning and participatory community efforts.