Invasion of Wetlands in Kumasi by Informal Economic Activities and Consequences for Urban Management

Wetlands were considered as waste lands for breeding mosquitoes, home for all kinds of shanty settlements with
no basic housing facilities. This study seeks to identify the effects of informal activities along wetland areas in Kumasi
metropolitan specifically Sepe-Buokrom- Dichemso areas. The study was in a form of case study covering Sepe-Buokrom and Dichemso areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select the various informal activities within the area. The study revealed that the main informal economic activities within the communities were washing bays, mechanical workshops, petty trading, carpentry works, and etc. Majority of businesses operating along the selected areas had permit for their works. Flooding, poor environmental conditions and poor management of waste disposal were the effects of the activities along wetland areas. Malaria and typhoid were the most prevailing diseases within the study areas. Low cost of land and access to customers were some of the reasons people were operating their businesses along wetland areas. The study concludes that, wetlands in Kumasi are undergoing negative transformation and hence losing their social, economic and environmental values due to unsustainable activities including improper waste disposal and unplanned settlement.