Developed and developing countries manage their urban problems quite differently, mainly depending on the availability of resources, technology, and funds in both countries.
In developed countries, urban innovation, which refers to the use of digital technology and platforms, is becoming a popular solution to tackle many urban problems and the availability of resources.
Community relationships, networks, and collaboration make up for developing countries’ lack of resources and technology. Social connectivity becomes a tool or asset they can utilize to improve their infrastructure.
The Conversation presented a study conducted in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, that looks into how residents utilize relationships and collaboration to solve their many pressing challenges, including their approach to urban planning and infrastructure needs.
The study’s respondents are the indigenous township of La Dade-Kotopon in Accra and their infrastructure management strategies. The township is densely populated, and residents have poor housing conditions and poor access to water and sanitation that private vendors mainly provide. Accra’s population consisted of 45% living in informal areas with high poverty rates, with limited access to basic facilities like water and sanitation.
The study revealed that their deeply rooted cultures and traditions are embedded in how they manage their water and sanitation and plan to fund, build, and maintain their infrastructure.
Deciding their infrastructure needs
Community meetings and shared decision-making are the primary tools for identifying and prioritizing infrastructure. First, discussions happen on a clan level, where residents gather in one of the family houses to determine what infrastructure they need.
Their decisions are then taken up by community-wide leaders who deliberate and discuss resources. Youth and women also share their inputs and contribute to the discussions.
Then these priorities are submitted to the quarter chief, who discusses them with the divisional council for preliminary approval. Any decisions made will then be returned to the lower-level clan meetings for final discussions.
Financing
Residents contribute monthly to finance the project, which goes into the “clan fund”. These funds are used to build sewer lines, public restrooms, and toilet facilities. Flexible and incremental payments are also available to residents who cannot afford the fixed monthly contribution. The community also appealed for donations during festivals to add to the fund.
Construction
The community used local artisans and skilled workers to reduce construction costs. When necessary, the community also hired outside technical expert assistance. But they ensure that local skills and craftsmanship are passed on to a community member so it is not lost for generations.
Maintenance
Indigenous communities use the proximity maintenance strategy. This means assigning residents closest to the facility to do maintenance work which they do on a rotational basis. Payments are taken out from the community funds or user fees.
These infrastructure management strategies employed by informal settlers offer another approach to managing infrastructure that capitalizes on community relationships and networks deeply based on their culture, norms, and traditional knowledge.
This contrasts with the approach implemented by developed or urban areas where decision-making tends to come from the top to bottom. Due to their skills, knowledge, and the technology available, experts and urban planners tend to prescribe solutions with little or sometimes no consultation with the public or community.
The article concludes that urban and development planners should look at “technology innovations from the global north” and consider how the community has been doing things for many generations to address their challenges, as these are sustainable practices for them. Urban planners should integrate these practices and strategies in urban and infrastructure planning and design to build sustainable and inclusive cities.
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