Assessing Social Cohesion And Resilience Of Coastal Communities Affected By Tidal Wave Related Disasters In The Volta Region

Abstract

The insurgency of natural hazards as a result of climate change in recent times are causing havoc in vulnerable communities thus became a major source of disasters across the globe. In coastal communities, tidal-wave hazards in particular are the major causes of disasters, resulting in the loss of living/ habitat space, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of economic livelihoods among others. This study focused on the assessment of social cohesion and community disaster resilience in some selected tidal-wave affected coastal communities in the Volta Region of Ghana. Questionnaire administration was combined with focus group discussion to collect data in each study community. The Burkner’s Index of Cohesion (BIC) and Index of Perceived Community Resilience (IPCR) were used to evaluate social cohesion and resilience of study communities respectively. Analysis of the data was done using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA to determine the significant differences in the intensity of BIC and IPCR between the communities whiles the FEMA model (figure 1) was used as temporal reference point to analyze the recovery cycle of communities that have experienced disaster at different time period and places. Effective usage of social networks, the practice of neighborliness and social solidarity among community members were observed to be the major attributes to the moderate level of social cohesion experienced in the various study communities. As a result, resilience was found to be positive in each of the study communities but not adequate enough to build back better within the shortest possible time without a major external support. The study also identifies some key indicators relative to each study community that need to be improved upon in practical terms to enhance the community’s social cohesion aspirations in other to help build a stronger disaster resilience in rural poor communities across the diaspora.