KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF ARTS, BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND EDUCATION

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

VILLAGE PLANNING
LEVEL: 100
COURSE TITLE: SP 152 FOUNDATION WORKSHOP II
GROUP FOUR
 CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUTION
1.1 Introduction
Village Planning is structured to expose students to the principles of community
planning which provides the platform to plan with the community, and address
developmental problems of an area from micro level. In this assignment, students
will be introduced to various survey and analysis techniques such as; Observation,
administration of questionnaires, taking photographs for illustrations, etc. Also,
students will be introduced Kobo collect which will assist during the data analysis
so as to help them to draw inferences and make meaningful proposals. Students
will go on a field trip to selected villages in Sekyere East District in the Ashanti
Region for data gathering which will be used for analysis.
Generally, this assignment focuses on the growth and developmental problems of
small communities or villages as well appreciate the complex nature of such
problems and how they can be tackled comprehensively. This will help them to
acquire the basic skills in rural development.
1.2 Objectives
By the end of this assignment, students will be able:
i. Generate background information about their study settlements and
municipality.
ii. Adopt the skills and knowledge in writing a good report.
iii. To be able to identify data gasps after doing a desk study /review.
iv. To build on the knowledge and skills in the design of instruments for
primary data collection.
1.3Methodology
The data collection and assessment were carried out using various techniques,
including:
 i. Structured Interviews: Conducted with selected community members,
including elders, youth, and key informants such as teachers and health
workers.
Household Surveys: Used to gather demographic, economic, and social data.
ii. Spatial Mapping: Students mapped key features such as roads, public
infrastructure, water sources, and land use zones using GPS devices and
sketch mapping techniques.
iii. Observation: Students took note of environmental conditions, housing
structures, sanitation practices, and accessibility.
iv. Community Sketch Maps: Created to visualize the spatial arrangement of
the community and highlight critical development zones.
1.4 Key Findings and Observations
i. Settlement Pattern: Ahwerewa exhibits a dispersed rural settlement pattern,
with most homes made of mud bricks and zinc roofing.
ii. Infrastructure: Access to potable water is limited. The community relies
mainly on boreholes and streams.
iii. Social Services: There is a basic school, but health services are limited,
requiring residents to travel to neighboring communities.
iv. Road Network: The access road is untarred and becomes difficult to navigate
during the rainy season.
v. Land Use: The dominant land use is residential and agricultural, with large
tracts of land used for subsistence farming.
vi. Sanitation: Waste disposal is poorly managed, with open dumping being the
most common method.
1.5 Background

Sekyere East District is one of the districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Its
capital is Effiduase. The district was created in 1988 from the former Sekyere
District Council. In 2007, part of it was split to form the Sekyere Afram Plains
District.
The district is mostly rural, and the people are mainly Akans, especially the
Asante group. The main economic activity is farming, with crops like yam, maize,
and cassava. There are also markets, schools, and health centers in the area.
Sekyere East is rich in culture and celebrates traditional festivals such as
Akwasidae.
1.6 Historical Background
Sekyere East District is located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It was originally
part of the larger Sekyere District until it was split to improve local governance.
The district was officially established in 1988 under the PNDC Law 207. Effiduase
was made the capital town. Over time, parts of Sekyere East were carved out to
form new districts, like Sekyere Afram Plains. Historically, the area has strong
cultural ties to the Ashanti Kingdom and is known for its rich traditions,
agriculture, and cocoa farming. The people are mostly Akans, and the district
reflects deep-rooted chieftaincy systems and festivals.
1.7 Challenges Faced
i. Weather Conditions: The early morning rainfall made certain areas muddy
and difficult to access.
ii. Limited Time: Conducting thorough interviews and surveys in just a day
was a challenge.
iii. Community Engagement: Some residents were hesitant to participate,
requiring extra time to build trust.
iv. GPS Signal Issues: Dense vegetation in parts of the community affected
GPS accuracy.
1.8 Lessons Learned
This field trip offered students valuable practical exposure to the realities of rural
planning in Ghana. We learned:
i. How to conduct field surveys in real-world settings.
ii. The importance of community engagement in planning.
iii. How to use spatial tools such as GPS and sketch maps for data visualization.
iv. The interconnection between physical planning, infrastructure, and social
development.
1.9 Conclusion
The field trip to Ahwerewa was a deeply enriching experience that enhanced our
academic understanding of human settlement dynamics. It provided us with hands-
on experience in collecting and analyzing data, observing land use patterns, and
engaging with a real community to understand their needs. This trip has laid a
strong foundation for future fieldwork and has highlighted the critical role of
planners in transforming rural communities for sustainable development.
 CHAPTER TWO
PROFILE OF SEKYERE EAST DISTRICT/ AHWEREWA
2.1Introduction
The Sekyere East District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana is characterized by a
landscape that includes both forest and savannah vegetation, with a bimodal
rainfall pattern. The district’s soil is derived from four main geological formations,
Granitic, Birimian, Voltaian, and Alluvium rocks. It also features rivers, streams,
forest, reserves, and areas suitable for agriculture and livestock rearing.
Ahwerewa is a small farming community located about 5 km southeast of
Effiduase, the district capital, and close to other settlements like Feyiase and
Bomso. In 2021, World Vision Ghana handed over a CHPS compound in
Ahwerewa. It includes a consulting room, maternity ward, dispensary, and a
reproductive & child health (RCH) unit. Accommodation for health workers was
also built to attract staff to reside locally. That CHPS facility contributes to the
district achieving zero maternal deaths over a span of 18 months, thanks to better
access to care and community health education.
Ahwerewa was one of five communities benefitting from mechanized boreholes
installed by World Vision in 2021, improving water access for households, school
children, and local livelihoods like palm oil and tie-dye vendors.

2.2 Physical Characteristics

Ahwerewa is a rural community located within the Sekyere East District in the
Ashanti Region of Ghana. Its physical characteristics, including topography,
climate, vegetation, drainage, and soil types. These characteristics are essential for
planning development, agriculture, infrastructure, and water supply systems in the
area.
2.2.1 Location and setting
Ahwerewa is geographically positioned at approximately 6.82961°N latitude and
1.35103°W longitude. It lies southeast of Effiduase, the district capital, and is
accessible via local road networks. The community is surrounded by other rural
settlements such as Bomso and Feyiase.
2.2.2 Topography
The terrain of Ahwerewa is generally low-lying to gently undulating, with
elevation ranging between 100 to 150 meters above sea level. The area forms part
of the wider topographic transition from the southern plateau zone of Sekyere East
into more open plains in the north. The landscape is suitable for agriculture and
basic infrastructure development.
2.2.3 Climate
Ahwerewa experiences a tropical climate characterized by two rainfall peaks:
i. Major rainy season: March/April to July
ii. Minor rainy season: September to November
Annual rainfall ranges between 855 mm and 1,500 mm, spread across 110 to 120
rainy days per year. Temperatures typically range from 21°C (lowest in August) to
31°C (highest in March/April), with an average of 26–27°C throughout the year.
Relative humidity stays between 60% and 80%, depending on the season.
2.2.4 Vegetation
Historically, Ahwerewa falls within the moist semi-deciduous forest zone.
However, due to agricultural expansion, bushfires, and logging, much of the
original forest cover has been degraded. Presently, the area is dominated by
secondary forest growth, grassland, and scattered trees, including species like
Wawa, Odum, and Mahogany, though many of these are diminishing in number.
2.2.5 Drainage and Water Bodies
The area is drained by a network of small seasonal streams and tributaries that feed
into larger rivers such as the Offin River. The drainage pattern is dendritic and
influenced by the terrain. Water flow is highly seasonal and often affected by soil
erosion due to poor vegetation cover and farming along riverbanks.
2.2.5 Soil Characteristics
Ahwerewa lies within the Kumasi-Offin compound soil association, which consists
mainly of sandy loam and clay loam soils. These soils are fertile and support the
cultivation of cash crops (e.g., cocoa, citrus, oil palm) and food crops (e.g.,
cassava, plantain, maize, cocoyam). However, improper farming techniques and
deforestation have led to gradual soil degradation in some parts.
2.2.6 Water Supply and Infrastructure
In 2021, World Vision Ghana installed a mechanized borehole system in
Ahwerewa and four other communities in the district to improve access to safe
drinking water. This intervention significantly reduced the community’s reliance
on unsafe surface water sources and improved water security, especially during the
dry season.

2.3 Settlement Layout and Spatial Structure

Ahwerewa exhibits a dispersed rural settlement pattern, where homesteads are
spread out along feeder roads and footpaths. The core of the village consists of
clustered housing units, which are surrounded by a mix of farmlands, fallow lands,
and bush. The community layout is loosely organized, with limited formal zoning
or physical planning, which is typical of many rural Ghanaian communities.
The central area typically contains basic public infrastructure such as:
i. A primary school
ii. A borehole water supply system
iii. Local market sheds or gathering areas
iv. Community meeting points
2.4 Land Use Patterns
Land use in Ahwerewa follows a predominantly agrarian structure, reflecting
the economic dependence of residents on agriculture. The major land use
categories include:
2.4.1 Residential Use
i. The residential area forms less than 1% of the total land area.
ii. Houses are mostly built with local materials and arranged in loosely defined
clusters.
2.4.2 Agricultural Land
Over 60% of the land in and around Ahwerewa is devoted to agriculture,
including:
i. Mixed cropping systems involving maize, cassava, cocoyam, plantain, and
legumes.
ii. Tree crop farming, especially cocoa, citrus, and oil palm.
iii. Land is often held under traditional systems such as abunu, abusua, or leased
family land.
2.2.3 Fallow and Bush Land
i. Roughly 40% of the land is under fallow or bush regeneration, reflecting
rotational farming practices.
ii. These areas serve ecological purposes and are also sources of firewood and
wild foods.
2.4.4 Institutional and Communal Spaces
i. Limited but important land is allocated for public infrastructure such as
schools, places of worship, and water systems.
2.4.5 Agroforestry and Natural Vegetation
I. On-farm trees and patches of secondary forest vegetation are common,
especially in uncultivated or sloped areas.
II. These zones offer environmental benefits like erosion control and
microclimate regulation.
2.5 Spatial Interactions and Zoning
There is no formal zoning in Ahwerewa. However, informal spatial arrangements
exist:
I. The central cluster accommodates social and administrative services.
II. Farming zones extend outward from the core residential area.
III. Processing areas for cassava or palm oil are often located on the edge of the
settlement or near farm plots.
Accessibility within the community is provided mainly by unpaved paths and
feeder roads, which also connect to neighboring communities like Feyiase and
Bomso.
Challenges in Land Use Planning
I. Unregulated expansion of farm plots leads to encroachment into bush and
ecologically sensitive areas.
II. Lack of spatial planning tools or guidelines makes it difficult to enforce
coordinated land use.
III. Environmental degradation from bushfires and soil erosion is increasing
due to unsustainable land clearing methods.
II.6 Geographical Context
 CHAPTER THREE

SOCIO- ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS