Johnie Nyametso

Improvement of Squatter Settlements: the Link Between Land Tenure Security, Access to Housing, and Improved Living and Environmental Conditions Johnie Nyametso

This research analyses the effects of land tenure security on the low-income people and squatters of Accra (the Ghanaian capital). The problem of squatting in Accra has been attributed to deficits in housing supply and the high rents of decent accommodation which have left the poor with little or no choice but to squat illegally on private or public property. Due to the failure of previous policies to solve the housing problems of the squatters in the capital, this study was conceived to verify the effects of land tenure security and assess the merits of tenure security as an alternative approach to enable low-income residents of the city to improve their housing. Additionally, the research was prompted by the desire to stem the fast pace of squatting in the city and eradicate the deplorable conditions in which most of the squatters live. Furthermore, it is anticipated that important lessons learned from the study settlements and within specific contexts will be able to be applied to help solve the housing and environmental problems of poor people elsewhere.