Ghana’s population is constantly increasing. However, this increase seems to be tilted towards the southern parts of the country. Data from the recent Population and Housing Census (PHC 2021) carried out by the Ghana Statistical Service shows that there have been significant increases in the population of the major cities in the country: Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Central regions respectively. Is this growth sustainable?
First off, the increasing population of this city can be attributed to the fact that it is the capital city of the country, as well as the economic hub. Everything happens in Accra. This explains the trooping in of people from other regions, some to find well-paying jobs and others (mostly entrepreneurs) to tap into the wide range of customers this presents.
The first economic implication of this increased population density is the high cost of living. Everything is expensive in Accra; food, accommodation, transportation etc.
On accommodation, many housing units are expensive to purchase and rent rates are on an upward trajectory and do not seem to be reducing anytime soon. People have therefore resorted to cheaper and unsustainable housing facilities such as kiosks, metal containers and wooden structures, just to mention a few.
How then can this unsustainable cycle be made sustainable? The Data Moguls propose some ways this can be done in the video presentation below: