The effects of resettlement in urban redevelopment; insights from the Kejetia project in Ghana

Traditional marketplaces have become the key targets for urban redevelopment by local governments in Ghana to reinvent spaces and generate income. However, the resettlement issues have become the main constraints affecting developers and the affected traders. The present study seeks to provide practical solutions to the top resettlement issues and effects using the Kejetia Project as a case study. A mixed methodology approach was used to elicit and analyse data obtained from structured questionnaires and interviews. The Theory of Constraints was adopted as a solution framework using its three fundamental questions, What to change, What to change to, and How to cause change. The Relative Importance Index was used to determine the importance levels of issues through a five-point Likert scale. The findings on What to change listed relocation resistance and doubts on reallocation among others as top issues for local authorities and affected traders, respectively. Psychological stress was a top effect among others for affected traders. And on What to change to, direct solutions were provided to the issues to reverse the effects. Collaborative implementation of the solutions is prioritized for How to cause the change. The study concludes that the resettlement issues of the traders did not only impact them but the activities of local authorities. The Findings imply that complex resettlement issues require direct and simple solutions to reverse them. Participatory decision-making is therefore recommended to ensure the interests of both parties.Key Policy HighlightsRelocation resistance remains a highly important issue for local authorities implementing urban redevelopment.Issues of place reallocation and relocation are top resettlement issues for people affected by urban redevelopment.Stress and financial burden are top resettlement effects for people affected by urban redevelopment.Direct solution is the most effective approach to reverse resettlement issues.All solutions require collaborative implementation to ensure sustainability.

Automated summary

Traditional marketplaces in Ghana are being targeted for urban redevelopment, but issues related to resettlement are hindering developers and traders. This study provides practical solutions to address these issues, using the Kejetia Project as a case study. Findings show that resistance to relocation and doubts about reallocation are major concerns for local authorities and affected traders, while psychological stress is a significant effect on the traders. The study recommends collaborative implementation of the solutions for sustainable change.