Spatial Patterns of Urban Expansion and Domestic Solid Waste Management in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

The increase in population in the Tamale Metropolitan Area has resulted in rapid urbanization accompanied with poor services provision. This study examined the pattern of urban expansion and household solid waste management in the Metropolis. The study employed a mixed method involving 100 household respondents sampled conveniently to respond to questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered in four communities (Zoozugu, Manguli, Sakasaka and Aboabo) which were selected
through stratified sampling. Key informant interviews at the Tamale Metropolitan supplemented the questionnaires Assembly and Zoomlion Ghana Limited. The pattern of expansion of the Metropolis was studied by extracting built-up areas from satellite images for the years 2004, 2014 and 2022. The results indicated that the built area increased from 3,745.71 ha of land in 2004 to 5,697.45 ha of land in 2014 and from 5,697.45 ha in 2014 to 8,447.67 ha in 2022. The time series analysis of the urban expansion maps further showed linear growth and peri-urbanization in the area. The results from the questionnaires indicated that rural-urban migration is the root cause of expansion. It is shown that urban expansion has negatively affected household solid waste management in the metropolis because of the lack of infrastructure in response to the increase in population growth of the city.