Sanitation Services and Perceptions of Possibilities: A Case Study of Old Fadama in Accra, Ghana
Social Sciences
UCSC Sociology Department, UC Education Abroad Program
In rapidly developing country’s cities there is a need for the acknowledgement and inclusion of slums for improving public sanitation and waste management services. The residents of Old Fadama, the largest slum of Ghana’s capital, Accra, have been excluded from formal improvements to environmental sanitation conditions. By way of urbanization and institutional exclusion the environmental sanitation conditions in the community and surrounding ecosystem of the Korle Lagoon are increasingly toxic. This study aims to understand community residents’ and local officials’ perceptions of problems and solutions for improving sanitation services in Old Fadama through interviews and focus group discussions. Residents and relevant officials from government, non-governmental organization, and community-based organizations agree that services need to be formally provided—for example waste bins, engineered drains, public toilets, and educational programs. Numerous officials from relevant organizations assert that the community needs to be adequately consulted and relocated in order to upgrade their standard of living and improve environmental health conditions in the area. Urgent action and inclusive planning are crucial ingredients for either upgrading the existing slum or relocating the residents to achieve better environmental living conditions and socio-economic development.
