Collins Adjei MensahUniversity of Cape Coast | UCC · Department of Geography & Regional Planning
Collins Adjei Mensah
B. A., MPhil, PhD, World Social Science Fellow
About
44
Publications
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Introduction
Over the past 10 years I have had training, teaching and research experiences in geography, and urban and regional planning both in Ghana and UK. This upbringing and orientation has shaped my thoughts and academic intellects to be well abreast with issues covering areas such as town planning, land-use planning, landscape ecology, urban governance, informal settlements, environmental sustainability, rural and urban livelihoods, and environmental management.
Additional affiliations
May 2016 - May 2021
January 2014 - August 2014
Education
January 2012 - January 2015
August 2008 - September 2010
Publications
Publications (44)
Improving citizens’ quality of life is a stated priority of many governments in both the global north and south. However, efforts to achieve this often focus on socio-economic measures, with limited attention to the contributions of environmental variables such as green spaces. This paper sought to bridge this knowledge gap by tracing the linkages...
Integrating green spaces such as parks and gardens into the physical landscape of cities has been identified to enhance the health and wellbeing of urban dwellers. This paper assesses the state of green spaces in Kumasi city (Ghana), once known as the garden city of West Africa. Using a case study approach, a mixture of qualitative research techniq...
Generally, most studies on tourism in Ghana have laid emphasis on motivations and experiences of tourists, their preference for accommodation and restaurant facilities, and the quality of services rendered at these facilities ignoring a significant component of tourism, which is transportation. This paper examines public transport mode preferences...
Sekondi-Takoradi has been a preferred city in Ghana for many individuals after the discovery of oil in the area in 2007. This paper sought to analyze the land-use/cover change of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis between 1991 and 2016, and its implications on the sustainability of the city. A combination of GIS and remote sensing techniques were employed...
Going green in urban development focuses on adopting “environmental friendly” practices to enhance the health and well-being of urban dwellers and also protect the environment in which they live. Thus the idea of going green in urban development supports the sustainability and liveability of cities. This chapter traces the development of the going...
A R T I C L E I N F O Keywords: Liveability Indicator-based assessment Accra metropolitan area Transdisciplinary approach A B S T R A C T Local knowledge of spatiotemporal patterns of liveability is vital for choosing where to live and where revital-isation efforts must concentrate. We employed transdisciplinary learning to identify 12 liveability...
Green spaces are fast depleting in many urban areas across the world. This contributes to carbon dioxide emissions and affects the local climate and well-being of city residents. Yet, there is limited empirical research on the spatio-temporal patterns of change in urban green spaces and linkages to human well-being, especially in coastal cities whe...
Challenges faced by African countries in achieving the goals of sustainable development are similar and transboundary. Analysis of sustainable development goals (SDGs) has largely been non-spatial, reducing the ability to find spatial relationships between countries and SDGs to help cooperation and proffer country-specific interventions. This study...
Apart from their potential environmental benefits, micromobility modes of transport can afford their users enormous health benefits. This notwithstanding, their adoption is very low or non-existent in most African cities including Ghana. The paucity of research on micromobility in Ghana restricts any objective discussions on the factors that contri...
Managing urban green spaces effectively to a greater extent relies on the underlying powers (authority and resource capacities) entrusted to relevant stakeholder institutions. This paper assesses how power is regulated among major stakeholder institutions/bodies in the management of green spaces in the Kumasi Metropolis. Relying on the interpretati...
Achieving food security is now a priority of both international and national development agendas. However, this can be realised depending on measures put in place to regulate land use/land cover (LULC) activities from hampering agricultural development in rural and urban areas. This paper sought to assess the LULC dynamics of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipa...
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) encourages densification around transport nodes with a combination of work, educational facilities, commercial activities and other essential services. Implementing TOD in Ghana would, however, be faced with several challenges. The systematic review approach, which is based on published scholarly works was adopted...
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) encourages densification around transport nodes with a combination of work, educational facilities, commercial activities and other essential services. Implementing TOD in Ghana would, however, be faced with several challenges. The systematic review approach, which is based on published scholarly works was adopted...
Women’s participation in community development projects is now essential as it helps to promote inclusive development and decentralized development planning. This paper assesses the perceived benefits and barriers to women’s participation in ecotourism development and their implications for community planning at the Kakum Conservation Area (KCA). U...
This second edition covers recent developments around the world with contributors from 33 different countries. It widens the handbook’s scope by including ecological design; consideration of cultural dimensions of the use and conservation of urban nature; the roles of government and civil society; and the continuing issues of equity and fairness in...
The paper assessed the level of participation of women in the management of the Kakum Conservation Area in Ghana focusing on selected communities. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 169 women were selected. Questionnaire was the main research instrument relied on whilst inferential statistical tools such as independent sample t-test, and One-w...
Operationalizing sustainability within the real estate development is a challenge as such development process is complex, multidisciplinary in nature and involves multiple agencies. The paper, therefore, aims at strengthening the conceptualization of sustainability within the real estate development process (REDP) to address this challenge effectiv...
This chapter uses housing affordability as a means to understand the dynamic nature of quality of life as a concept. It explores the way in which people utilised housing affordability as a reflexivity of their expectation for quality of life over time and space. Based on the systematic review method, a total of 227 publications that focused on qual...
Crude oil is often argued to be a natural resource that holds the prospect of accelerated economic development, although the results are mixed. This paper explores how the discovery of crude oil is impacting on urban development, focusing in particular on urban green spaces in Sekondi-Takoradi, a growing oil city in Ghana. Representatives from inst...
Conserving green spaces (parks, gardens, forest) in the physical landscape of cities is an action that has been identified as contributing to the sustainability of cities. However, to be able to conserve such spaces, some barriers need to be overcome, and this has not received much attention. This paper therefore provides measures to overcome the ‘...
Universities all over the world have green spaces (GS) as an integral part of their campuses because of the significant benefits derived from them. Aside enhancing the image of universities, GS influence the academic performance of students by reducing stress. This paper examines the preferences and uses of green spaces on
UCC campus by non-African...
The entrenched position now taken by participatory planning in urban planning practice has made the call for community participation in the planning process now higher than ever. Community participation has been well-acknowledged to give local people a voice in planning decisions. This paper assessed the level of participation by local people in th...
Over the next four decades, the global urban population is expected to nearly double, with the vast majority of this happening in Asian and African cities; if we do not rethink and coalesce our approaches and practices, there will be rising urban inequality and conflicts, underpinned by accelerated resource scarcity and uncontainable environmental...
Africa as a continent is endowed with many natural resources and blessed with a variety of urban green spaces such as parks, gardens, forests, trees, allotments and wetlands. However, statistics shows that Africa’s urban green spaces are under severe threat and needs to be protected. Using collaborative governance theory as a guide, this chapter so...
Ghana’s local governments are arenas for autonomous policy decisions following its 1988 decentralization program. These structures evolve and regulate economic and physical development plans in their jurisdictions. To ensure local level participation, institution building within the local self-governments has been actively undertaken, and in metrop...
The construction industry plays a vital role in the physical and socio-economic development of cities. However, poor execution and frequent breakdown of construction works such as roads and houses obstruct the overall development of cities since most social and economic activities depend of these projects. This paper sought to assess the extent to...
Proliferation of informal settlements is a worldwide problem that confronts many cities in the world especially cities of developing countries. It destructs sustainable urban development of cities. This paper sought to explore the factors behind the growth of informal settlements in Kumasi, Ghana. The paper used explorative case study approach with...
Africa as a continent is blessed with rich natural resources such as the ever green vegetation of many African cities. This green vegetation together with other soft land surfaces in urban areas constitute urban green spaces which play important role to enhance the beauty and health conditions of cities. This paper sought to explore the nature and...
Preserving natural environment in the physical landscape of cities is an important component
of the garden city model. It helps to maintain ecological balance between nature and
human activities. This paper sought to assess the garden city status of Kumasi (Ghana) from the perspective of available green vegetation (green spaces). Using a case stud...
Women play significant roles in the society and their involvement in community planning and development are well appreciated by many international bodies. This paper sought to explore the contribution of female traditional leaders (queen mothers) to community planning and development which often tend to focus on their male counterparts (kings or ch...
Over the years, shea butter has emerged as a promising economic commodity and has gained international recognition because of its economic value and therapeutic properties. As a major cash crop in northern Ghana, shea butter is used for different purposes. This paper assessed livelihood strategies of women in the shea butter industry in the Tamale...
Urbanization remains a single predominant factor that is continuously linked to the destruction of urban green
spaces. This has created a knowledge gap of limited attention to other critical factors that deplete urban green spaces in diverse ways. Using Kumasi city (Ghana) which is suffering from rapid deterioration of its green spaces as a study...
Green spaces constitute a major environmental resource of urban landscape. In Africa, statistics show that urban green spaces are depleting at an alarming rate with green spaces now occupying small proportion of the landmass of several urban areas. This paper sought to give a broad discussion on the nature and challenges behind the deterioration an...
Informal settlements are among the major problems that confronts many cities in the world. Despite numerous efforts both at the international and local levels to address this problem, its existence keeps on rising. This paper used a theoretical approach to assess the growth of informal settlements in Kumasi, Ghana. It adapted the theory of Planned...
Urban residents are often subjected to different forms of environmental injustices that often ruin their well-being. This paper sought to examine environmental injustices caused by activities of small-scale palm oil producers in the Ahanta West District of Ghana and devised practical solutions to address the problem. A total of 152 respondents were...
Enhancing maintenance of urban roads is a condition that helps to promote sustainable urban development. It helps to put roads in good shape which in turns provide several economic, social, and environmental benefits in urban areas. This paper sought to develop economically feasible road maintenance interventions that can be resorted to enhance the...
Ghana experienced rapid liberalisation in the mining sector in the 1980s and 90s which led to the intensification of mining activities across mining zones in the country. This study therefore examined how operations of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) affect environmental justice in the Asutifi District. Using questionnaires, in-depth interview gu...
Over the past two decades, urban areas have been the centre of attraction for many individuals, industries and many activities for diverse reasons. This high interest has put much pressure on urban land development especially in the area of housing. Inadequate attention to urban land-use planning and practices coupled with rapid urbanisation has re...
Questions
Questions (4)
We are living in a diverse universe with different kinds of activities taking place in different cities and countries. Due to many factors such as globalisation specific activities that some cities or countries were well noted for have changed and other still remain unchanged but taken new dimension. Whilst some areas are known for sporting activities, others are noted for trading, agriculture, technological advancement and many more.
For example, my city (Kumasi) was previous noted for agricultural activities but now this have changed to trading and commerce with over 71% engaged in that activity at the moment.
To have a fair idea about the changing trend of different activities across various cities and countries in the world, can you please share your views on major activities that totally describes your city or country now.
As we have just begin 2015, many international conferences and global discussions are going take place to come up with a variety of strategies to enhance the socio-economic, political, and environmental development of the world. In your estimation, what pertinent issues should receive attention in such discussions? You can reflect on various problems facing the world.
Low standard construction works in the area of housing and roads serve as a major problem in many developing countries. Such shoddy works often deteriorate and breakdown very fast causing a whole lot of inconveniences which slow down both economic and social development. Based on your personal experiences, what can be done to address this problem? You can use the situation in your country as an example.
