Impact Of The Land Market On Spatial Development: A Study Of EJISU Township, Ghana

Wilfred Ebo Sam-Awortwi, John Kwadwo Boateng Kwatia, Augustine Yaw Asuah

A proficient land market stimulates orderly spatial development and improves quality of life in an environment. This is because activities involved in the disposition and acquisition of land spatially impact the growth and development of towns and cities. Consequently, a well-organized land market is required to promote satisfactory human settlement development. The overall objective of the study was to determine how circumstances in the land market affect the physical development of Ejisu Township, the capital of Ejisu-Juaben Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The case study approach was adopted; as well as purposive, stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The study indicates that the acquisition of land from the stool positively enhances spatial development, since the allocation is based on the layout of the town. This ensures that spatial development conforms to the physical planning scheme. Conversely, it was observed that a little more than a quarter (29.8%) of developers did not acquire their lands from the stool. The study recommends that the city authority are to pay particular attention to the ‘re-market’ situation created as a result of lands being acquired for speculative reasons; to enhance security of tenure by promoting proper documentation and ensuring conformity to physical plans.