Congestion in Ghana

By Helena Selby
Congestion of all sorts has become the order of the day in many parts of Ghana, especially in the capital city Accra, with its attendant decongestion exercises. It has become part and parcel of many Ghanaians, both literate and illiterate, to indiscriminately build or put up any structure for commercial/residential purposes. Sometimes the reason given is that it is due to the migration of people from the rural areas, especially the northern parts, to the south in search of greener pastures, however if the society and the government assembly in charge makes sure to implement the rules and regulation on the environment, congestion in a way will be reduced. There is the need for the people to take into consideration their health since congestion in this part of the world brings about extreme heat on the environment and in individual homes due to the frequent presence of stale air as well as disease as a result of bad drainage system. One must bear in mind congestion is created by individual with frequent and unlawful use of the land.

Congestion and billboards
One might not notice but increase of the number billboard on the environment creates excessive congestion. Erection of billboards and signpost has become a normal phenomenon in the country. Wherever one sees as a vantage point for direction or advertising, a bill board is erected. Apart from the ones done by advertising companies who sometimes seek for permission before erecting a billboards majority of the people care less as to if the place in question for erection can pose treat or inconvenience to the people. The commonest among the billboards used to be political billboard which even though the election has been over for the past three months, these bill board are still seen on the streets. Owing to the immense congestion which has been made by these bill board according to a Ghana News Agency (GNA) report the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has directed all political parties and candidates to remove all bill boards bearing their symbols, images and slogans used in the last presidential and parliamentary elections with immediate effect.

Candidates in the last district assembly elections who used billboard to campaign are also advised to comply with the directive. Political parties and other social groups choke the metropolis with the indiscriminate erection of billboards without regard for the regulations on the sitting of publicity materials for campaign and other purposes. The decision according to AMA is in line with the enforcement of general rules and by laws of the city. The practice currently is that large billboards are being erected at unapproved locations in the city such as along highways and junctions that could cause accidents or serious injuries especially to road users, with political parties and candidates being the worse offenders.

Other offenders are churches, off late the existence of many churches in the country has made way for a lot of their billboards to be on roadsides. As a way of making their churches known to the public some of these churches erect their billboard on various roadsides normally with their pictures on them. Under normal circumstance approval should be sought from the AMA, which would conduct an inspection of the proposed location and take other factors into consideration before giving the applicant permission to put up a billboard. Be it be ignorance or with intent, many of these offenders always refuse to go for approval.

Congestion and indiscriminate building
Congestion and indiscriminate building goes hand in hand in the country. People build wherever they find convenient especially when they claim to have bought the land. The pathetic is that, people do not give regard to the presence of ventilation, drainage or even roads; they make sure they use every bit of the land they claim to have bought. Normally in the Ghanaian communities buildings built for renting are just a single room or sometimes without washroom facilities. People who rent these kinds of houses go out of the house to take their bath and even defecate outside, making the environment extremely stinky. For others too, owing to the purpose of generating income, they tend put their shops or kiosk any where they find commercial friendly. The pathetic aspect is that the nature of the congestion makes it rather difficult for emergency vehicles to penetrate when there is an emergency situation.

Not long ago there was a fire out break in Ashaiman due to it not being able to control the fire service was called upon. Though they reached the destined place on time, there was no road or space enough for the vehicle to go through, they therefore have to go back to their station for more hose. This was in order to connect it to the other hose to reach the house and quench the fire. The fire at the long run was successfully quenched but had destroyed a lot of property due to the delayance. Apart form that most times in the Ghanaian society; it is very difficult to show one direction to a house due to bad planning, lack of roads and confusing way of numbering houses. Unlike in the western world where by direction is easily given to a new person in a community, in this part of the world direction to a destination is very hard to find. There is even the tendency being attacked by thieves since he or she couldn’t get to find the exact location of the address or direction he or she was given so have no choice than to stay out late or spend the night outside.

Congestion and ventilation
Ventilation in various communities is out of the question as people care less about the condition of their environment and situation of their building but care more about business rather than good health. When a place is extremely congested with building, shops and other thing, it makes ventilation very poor in the environment making rooms to be very hot. Ventilation is a routine air movement within a closed room or the intermittent introduction of outdoor air. According to Vent-Axia ventilation can be simply described as air circulation. This is the extraction of stale, overheated and contaminated air, and the supply and distribution of fresh air in amounts necessary to provide healthy and comfortable conditions for the occupants of the space being ventilated. It’s important to realise that ventilation is one of the most crucial processes in determining the indoor air quality.

Congestion and drainage system
Majority of builder to not give consideration to drainage system such as gutters, they prefer using a bucket to collect the water after bathing, washing or even cooking and pouring it on the bare ground. When there are no gutters in an environment the possibility of creating intense flood during the rainy season is there, just like in places such as Ashaiman and some parts of mallam the poor drainage system make it rather flood prone areas. During the moment of flood also, due to lack of gutters the rain water becomes stagnant hence breed mosquitoes leading to malaria infection. Considering the rain season ahead people in these congested places are scared of what might happen to them and their property as during the rainy season last year many houses were demolished by heavy floods.

Conclusion
It is important to note that congestion is not good for human habitat since its outcome like inadequate drainage system and ventilation brings about health issues. Good drainage system and good ventilation system prevents diseases and adds quality of life since disease like malaria and heat rashes are prevented. A bad drainage system makes the few existing gutters to be choked always hence bringing about diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Though it might note cross ones mind, congestion free environment will attract foreigners to either tour the country or to invest. It is the responsibility of the society therefore to learn to make the environment spacious and also go to the AMA to seek for the appropriate position to build and transact business so as to prevent congestion.