The Role of Small Towns in Regional Development and Poverty Reduction in Ghana

Abstract

Ghana, like many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, lacks a clearly articulated urban development strategy. Urban growth has been rapid but largely uncontrolled. Ghana's adoption of a decentralization programme in 1988 focused some attention on small towns. The country's more recent adoption of the Millennium Development Goals and other specific poverty reduction strategies requires more concerted state promotion of small towns. Improved service provision and delivery through small towns is a necessary component of any successful poverty reduction or regional development strategy. Copyright (c) 2008 The Author. Journal Compilation (c) 2008 Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Social effects of poor sanitation and waste management on poor urban communities: a neighborhood‐specific study of Sabon Zongo, Accra

“…The lack or absence of a UDS or UDP has undermined the policy coherence of government ministries and agencies involved in addressing urban problems and reducing urban poverty (ISSER 2007, Owusu 2008a, 2008b. In addition, urban development strategies as articulated in Ghana's development policy frameworks such as the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II), does not provide a comprehensive urban development focus but a limited focus on slum upgrading and housing.…”

“…It reached about 44% in 2000(GSS 2005, and was estimated by UNFPA to be 51% in 2009 (UNFPA 2009). However, there is a skewed distribution of the urban population with preference for the large towns and cities of Accra, Kumasi, SekondiTakoradi and Tamale (ISSER 2007, Owusu 2005, 2008a, 2008b. These four major centers in Ghana in 2000 accounted for over 44% of the total urban population though there were over 350 urban centers in the country (Owusu 2005).…”

“…Ghana, like many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is undergoing rapid urbanization (Konadu-Agyemang 2001a, 2001b, Songsore 2003b, Yeboah 2003, Yankson 2006, Owusu 2005, 2008a. The level of urbanization rose from 7.8% in 1921to about 23% in 1960, then to 32% in 1984.…”

Spatio‐functional Determinants of Small Towns: A Case Study of Selected Indian Small Towns

“…A “small town” is an urban settlement where urbanity has not yet reached its full vigour. Owusu () observes “Defining small towns is even more difficult due to the fact that, while most countries at least have official definitions for urban centres (or towns), no such definitions exist for categories such as ‘small’, ‘medium’ and ‘large’ urban centres (p. 455).” The United Nations Human Settlements Program () defines these towns as the first‐tier markets and service providers for rural enterprises and development. Small towns function as an intermediary between the rural areas and the higher levels of the urban hierarchy (Pedersen ).…”

“…Vaishar (), while examining the growth factors of small towns in Moravia, observed that the geographical location of small towns plays an important role for their existing and future significance. Owusu () found that Ghana's urban population had undergone a number of changes over 30 years (1970–2000), revealing the overwhelming dominance of urban centers defined as small towns (settlement with population between 5,000 and 50,000). He provides several reasons to account for the growth and proliferation of small towns in Ghana.…”