Rural-Urban Migration and Its Socio-Cultural Effects on the Or1gin Community: The Case of Kpatinga in the Gushegu District in the Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study examines rural-urban migration and its socio-cultural effects on an origin community- Kpatinga in the Gushegu district in the Northern region of Ghana. The findings could also have policy implications for developing countries in general and Ghana in particular. It could contribute to the debate on managing internal migration in such a way that it maximizes the positives while minimizing the negatives. A mixed method research design was adopted for the study. Questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, and field observations were used to collect data. A number of relevant theories were combined to analyze the causes of rural-urban migration, migrants’ migration experiences and possible return to origin community. The push-pull theory was used to examine the causes of rural-urban migration. While Migration System Theory, Neo-Classical Migration Theory, and Network System Theory of Migration were used to examine migrants behaviours, their migration experiences, and possible return. The findings of the study indicate that most migrants were engaged in low paid jobs and many also had a short period (between six months and one year) of stay at destination places. Despite most of them had short stay, some of them still managed to invest in their origin community before their return. Majority of the migrants maintained close ties with relatives and friends back in their home community and also remit them as much as their meager resources would allow. The return of migrants has influenced some of on their socio-cultural values such as food, entertainment, language, dress and education. The study revealed that there are no wellorganised and institutionalised support programs by either state or non-state actors in the community to discourage people from migrating. A number of policies were proposed, based on the findings of the study, to help improve the living standards of the people and to discourage them from re-migration. The study confirmed rural-urban migration has got effects on the socio-cultural lives of the people of Kpatinga. This is particularly so in areas such as the values of the people including changes in gender roles and how rural-urban migration has affected socio-cultural lives of the people in the community