Environmental problems and the urban household in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) - Ghana

Many of the worst features of urban poverty in the Third World are environmental: poor access to safe water, unsanitary conditions, smoky kitchens, contaminated food, uncollected solid waste and insect infestation. Most research on these problems still proceeds along disciplinary lines; however, an environmental perspective, with its inherently trans-disciplinary nature, is the appropriate approach. This study of household environmental problems in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA)- Ghana, a component of a research project co-ordinated by the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI) also covering Jakarta and Sao Paulo, is both trans-disciplinary and action-oriented, and summarizes the results of the Accra case study. The analysis examines the physical severity of the problem, and also the institutional context from which practical solutions must emerge. The problem areas covered include: water, sanitation, solid waste, pests and pesticides, food contamination, air pollution, and housing conditions. Special attention is given to issues of environment and health. In addition, the report provides information on the households' own views on what needs to be done and by whom, and summarizes the institutional context within which household environmental management takes place. Finally, some of the policy implications are discussed briefly. The empirical basis of this study includes a questionnaire survey of 1,000 representative households, physical tests of water and air quality among sub-sets of about 200, focus group discussions in selected low-income neighbourhoods, and unstructured interviews with policy makers and implementors.