Rural-urban migration and squatter settlement formation in African cities: A case study of a Ghanaian squatter settlement

This thesis puts forward a comprehensive theoretical framework of the process that leads to the formation and growth of squatter settlements. It is argued that, under intense urbanization, the number of urban migrants far exceeds the capacity of the receiving city to provide sufficient employment and housing opportunities.;Tema, an industrial and port city within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana, and its associated squatter settlement of Ashaiman provide the test ground for this study. Analysis indicates that as the population of Ashaiman grew more and more urban migrants came directly to the settlement rather than through Tema. Socio-economic status of the respondent were found to be crucial factors in the residential location decision of migrants. An equally important factor was ethnic ties in the city which influenced both migration and urban residential location. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).