RURAL HOUSING CHALLENGES IN THE UPPER WEST REGION OF GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF KULMASA

Abstract

Housing is one of the most basic needs of human beings but many people find it difficult to afford. This is why there are many housing shortages in most parts of the world especially in developing countries. There seems to be paucity of studies on rural housing challenges in Ghana in general and Kulmasa community in the Upper West Region of Ghana in particular. This research seeks to bridge this knowledge gap by assessing rural housing challenges in the Upper West Region of Ghana using Kulmasa as a case study area in order to come out with interventions to address these housing challenges. Study methods include the use of questionnaire, interview guides and observation checklist for data analysis. A total of 66 respondents (both male and female) who took part in this study were purposively selected. The results indicated that the existing housing conditions in Kulmasa community in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana are in substandard state. The study found out that cultural reasons, proximity to place of work, environmental friendliness of the area, accessibility and affordability of the land and availability of better infrastructure are factors influencing housing development in Kulmasa community of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study found out that lack of access to secure land, limited access to finance, high cost of land registration, slow bureaucratic procedures, lack of infrastructure in rural areas, development controls, uncoordinated policies and implementations, high cost of construction and high price of land are some of the challenges of the existing housing conditions in Kulmasa community of the Upper West Region of Ghana. It is recommended that the government of Ghana should provide enabling environment for private sector to provide safe, adequate and affordable housing for people in rural communities in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. Again, the study recommends that the government of Ghana should liaise with banks and set up social housing mortgage scheme for the people of Kulmasa community. This entails interested banks pooling reasonable sum of money together for lending to the people of Kulmasa community at a negotiated but reduced interest rate of say 5% or less.

Keywords: Rural, Housing, Challenges, Kulmasa Community, Wa Municipality, Upper WestRegion, Ghana.