Assessment of social factors that promote the vulnerability of communities to coastal hazards in the Volta estuary in Ghana
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Date
2023
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Publisher
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
Abstract
Although vulnerability assessments have been widely conducted along the coast of Ghana, they
have not focused on the factors contributing to social vulnerability of households and communi ties to disaster risks. Using an indicator-based approach, this study examines the social factors
that affect the exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of households and communities in the
Volta estuary, Ghana. Results indicate that all the communities within the study area were ex posed to climate change related hazards. However, two communities, Azizanya in Ada East Dis trict and Fuveme in Anloga District, were highly exposed with unweighted indexes of 0.50 and
0.76, respectively. Sensitivity among communities was generally high ranging from 0.00 to 0.87
due to several social factors including low household income, high number of children and aged
at home, and lack of social amenities such as roads, health facilities, markets, and schools. The
communities recorded high adaptive capacity and were able to withstand the ravages of the
ocean and the river system. Households and communities developed various adaptation measures
such as relocation to nearby communities or higher grounds, open spaces and packing of their be longings on higher objects such as tables, whiles government actions included occasional dredg ing and constructions of sea defense structures. An integrated, multi-stakeholder approach in volving government, non-governmental community-based organisations, communities, house holds, and other stakeholders is proposed to design and implement a comprehensive disaster
management plan to combat climate change related coastal disasters.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Estuarine, Social vulnerability, Climate change