Of urban spaces in Ghana’s rapid urbanisation drive…

Tema, Ghana’s port city is in so many ways reflective of the growth trajectory of this West African state. With economic growth rate averaging some 7.5% over the last decade prior covid-19, Ghana was one of the fastest growing economies in the world. With this growth has come unprecedented levels of income inequality. It is no secret that much of the growth has not trickled down to the very bottom of Ghanaian society.

With this growth has come rapid urbanisation which has confounded local government authorities across the country. Tema, an industrial city built by Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, is, or should I rather aptly say, was, a carefully planned city envied by many across the country.

My five-year stay in Tema has however revealed the extent to which the city has deteriorated in many ways reflective of the deterioration of the Ghanaian state itself.

Public lands which were meant to be reserved for public parks are all sold to private entities for residential or industrial purposes. It is a hard task to find any green space within the city for relaxation.

Equally worrying is the phenomenon of rapid containerisation within hitherto, beautifully planned communities in the city. One is left wondering the criteria used by the local assembly to grant permits for the siting of such containers. Buffer zones and green spaces in almost all the communities have been taken over by container shops, which are used for all manner of economic activities, ranging from grocery stores to drinking spots.

I cannot overemphasise the importance of green spaces within communities in this era of global warming. Green spaces mitigate the effects of pollution and reduce the urban heat island effect. Green spaces have the capacity to promote mental and physical health, stimulation of social cohesion amongst residents.

Whilst the economic factors driving the phenomenon of containerisation are worthy of consideration, this should not come at the expense of the buffer zones and green spaces in the city. Aside the well-known fact of improving air quality, greens spaces can also play a very crucial role in managing floods.

The local government authorities in Tema must lead the conversation in raising awareness amongst the general populace on the appreciation of the importance of green spaces. Strong enforcement of all planning regulations of the assembly must be adhered to.

Indeed, to restore the glory of Tema, one can’t discount the role green spaces will play in the aesthetic outlook of the city once the right thing is done. It was Goethe who described architecture as ‘frozen music’, I shudder to think what his views on contemporary Tema landscape would have been. What music would Goethe hear if he were to observe the monstrous structures being erected in the green belt of community 8?

Let just hope for the best, sadly…