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It would be difficult to embark on slum transformation or clearance without political will
It would be difficult to embark on slum transformation or clearance without political will

The future of Old Fadama: Slum upgrading or slum clearance?

Located on the outskirts of the Central Business District of Accra, along the Odaw River and Korle Lagoon, Old Fadama is home to more than 80,000 people. Regarded as the slum capital of Ghana, the settlement is characterised by dilapidated housing, overcrowding, conflict, poverty and social vices.

The households at Old Fadama lack access to sanitation, water, secure tenure and sufficient living area. Meeting the most essential elements of human sustenance (health, shelter, jobs and education) is a struggle for many residents of Old Fadama.

To find a sustainable solution to the slum menace at Old Fadama, the government must as a matter of urgency decide whether to upgrade the slum or clear it completely (evict the residents with adequate compensation) and undertake high density commercial and residential development.

Slum upgrading

Slum upgrading involves the progressive improvement of the physical, social and economic environment of a settlement for the benefit of existing residents, with minimal disturbance or displacement (Hague et al, 2006). Improving the water supply, drainage, sanitation, roads and footpaths, and refuse disposal are the foundation for a successful slum upgrading project.

A successful slum upgrading project at Old Fadama must begin with addressing security of tenure of residents. Without the security of tenure, many slum dwellers would not wish to invest in their dwellings.

Most parts of the settlement fall within environmentally sensitive areas and as such, not conducive for horizontal development of housing. Cluster development in the form of multifamily mid-rise apartments and row houses would have to be employed to ensure that only the most favourable portions of the land are used for housing.

Creating vehicular access to Old Fadama will aid in efficient monitoring of activities within the settlement. The ad hoc construction of kiosks and haphazard nature of their positioning make vehicular access to Old Fadama difficult. Police patrol and fire trucks cannot manoeuvre their way through the slum in cases of emergencies such as fire outbreak or riot.

Providing alleys and streets, and spatially coordinating the dwellings would help improve security and solve the issue of some criminals using the slum as a hideout.

Presently, improvements are not made to their dwellings because of the constant threat of demolition and eviction. When given assurances from the government, many slum dwellers would not hesitate to improve their building structures. The government’s support for building vertically in slum areas would make it easier for the provision of parks, play grounds and enough green spaces, which are all fundamental to the healthy growth of children and the well-being of community members.

Most importantly, the collection of data, tracking of trends and conduction of frequent studies at Old Fadama would become an imperative. There is the need

to know population changes, deaths, births and other statistics to properly measure what improvements will be made with the programmes and policies that will be rolled out. Getting feedback from the residents regarding effectiveness of interventions is crucial.

Slum clearance

Due to the severity of the inhumane living conditions at Old Fadama, successive governments have attempted slum clearance in the past with minimal success.

The inability of successive governments to find alternative locations that appeal to the residents suggests that a well-thoughtout plan must be in place before such an approach is used.

Many slum dwellers will welcome affordable housing in fairly decent neighbourhoods. It is a fact that not all residents of Old Fadama live in abject poverty. Residents of the settlement continue to stay in the slum due to lack of affordable housing in Accra. The government has to create incentives to

lure residents to other locations. The provision of these new housing projects should be accompanied with a Commercial Zone or a Business District so that residents can continue to trade and find employment opportunities to ensure its effectiveness. For instance, a modern market can be built in the new location as part of the resettlement package.

A successful slum clearance will allow for the rehabilitation of the Korle Lagoon and lay the foundation for an urban revitalisation of the area, with

large-scale commercial and residential development. Not only will such a waterfront development be economically viable but it will greatly improve the tourism potential of the capital city.

Concluding thoughts

Irrespective of the option the government chooses, it has to be done in a timely manner. The more time elapses, the more complex the situation becomes. People Dialogue on Human Settlement together with Slum Dwellers International have been doing remarkable work at Old Fadama but the government’s active involvement and strong collaboration with these organisations would help find a

 

permanent solution to the slum menace. Visionary leaders are needed to implement policies that will bring longterm solutions. It would be difficult to embark on slum transformation or clearance without political will. Systematic social mediation would be needed in finding lasting solutions to the issues surrounding the settlement.

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