A community study on socioeconomic activities and development. An internship report

Internship Report , 2022 , 16 Pages , Grade: 6.0

Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society

The study is mainly concerned with the location of the community of No.1 in the F district, it gives responses to the questions related to ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘who’, ‘how’ in relation to socio-political organization. The findings of the study is basically for academic purposes and also serve as base for other planners, policy makers and public administrators and developmentalist in local and regional areas. Give insight for the town administrators about the existing and emerging socio-economic challenges of the community members in relation with the socio-economic services provided by the town administration. It would also address environmental issues of the community. The study contains five chapters, thus chapter one deals with the location of the community, community layout, sketch map of Ghana, sketch map, chapter two talks about the socio-political organization, history of the community, the languages spoken by the people, the social structures and in the community, traditions, Custom, Festivals, Taboos, ethnicity, kinship, chapter three addresses the environment, sanitation and source of water, the state of the vegetation, bushfires, type of houses built, chapter four tackles the economic activities of the people, various types of occupation and their challenges, tourist attraction sites in the community, chapter five handles the conclusions, findings and recommendations. It also reflects the interest and aspiration of the local people, as well as their demands.

TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWNLEDGEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER ONE

LOCATION

CHAPTER TWO
2.1 HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY
2.2 THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY THE PEOPLE
2.3 THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY (Religion, schools, hospitals etc)
2.4 TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS0
2.5 TRADITONS, CUSTOMS, FESTIVALS, TABOOS etc FESTIVAL
2.6 ETHNICITY, KINSHIP, etc
2.7 THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER(S) AND THE UNIT COMMITTEE AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
2.8 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MODERN AND TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION

CHAPTER THREE
THE ENVIRONMENT
3.1 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT – THE STATE OF VEGETATION, ACTIVITIES OF CHAINSAW OPERATORS, BUSHFIRES etc
3.2 BUILT ENVIRONMENT – TYPES OF HOUSES (MUD, BRICKS, BLOCKS, ROOFING TYPE, EROSION etc
3.3 SANITATION AND SOURCE OF WATER

CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 VARIOUS TYPES OF OCCUPATION AND THEIR CHALLENGES
4.2 TOURIST ATTRACTION SITES IN THE COMMUNITY

CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 CONCLUSION
5.2 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
5.3 RECOMMENDATION

ACKNOWNLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the almighty God Yahweh, for the favor and grace been done me. I would also like to extend my warmest gratitude to DR.S, DR. M AND DR. Y, my supervisors, for going the extra mile in assisting me in this project, I doff off my hat for them.

Also, great thanks to the good people of No.1 who took time off their daily routine to help us in our research, the staff of D basic school, the elders, members of various associations, the district assembly and others not mentioned here for making this work a successful one.

Finally, we say thumbs up and well done to the group members for their maturity and cooperation exhibited by them throughout this work.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The study is mainly concerned with the location of the community of No.1 in the F district, it gives responses to the questions related to ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘who’, ‘how’ in relation to socio-political organization. The findings of the study is basically for academic purposes and also serve as base for other planners, policy makers and public administrators and developmentalist in local and regional areas. Give insight for the town administrators about the existing and emerging socio-economic challenges of the community members in relation with the socio-economic services provided by the town administration. It would also address environmental issues of the community. The study contains five chapters, thus chapter one ( deals with the location of the community, community layout, sketch map of Ghana, sketch map, chapter two (talks about the socio-political organization, history of the community, the languages spoken by the people, the social structures and in the community, traditions, Custom, Festivals, Taboos, ethnicity, kinship, chapter three (addresses the environment, sanitation and source of water, the state of the vegetation, bushfires, type of houses built), chapter four (tackles the economic activities of the people, various types of occupation and their challenges, tourist attraction sites in the community), chapter five (handles the conclusions, findings and recommendations. It also reflects the interest and aspiration of the local people as well as their demands.

INTRODUCTION

Development is a common aim in the world. Conditions related to low level of income, absence of medical care, poor sanitation, absence of portable water and lack of security and protection. Though the incidence of poverty has reduced, poverty still remains a formidable problem in Ghana especially rural communities of Ghana. There is a huge difference in the income of households thus between urban and rural centers ( No.1 community to be precise). This implies that, urban localities have higher income compared to that of rural localities.

The study aims at making the researcher grasp the full extent of the social and economic life of deprived communities, live with and also socialize with residents in such communities. The researcher deploys the knowledge and skills in community mobilization and social research methods among others in the stated community. The duration of the study is four weeks of which, the researcher would observe the state of development of the said community, opportunities, problems and findings including constraints.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS

Community study is an immense area of systematic investigation and needs an ample devotion of time and attention to acquire knowledge. So many scholars and academicians attempt to deal with the topic and forwarded their own contribution in varies school of thoughts. Some limitations of the study were, weather conditions and unavailability of the community members.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

SOURCES OF DATA

Both primary and secondary data were relied upon to obtain sufficient information for the topic under study and to achieve the objective of the research. Primary data was collected from the field. Such data was collected from individuals, farmers, petty traders and from government officials.

Secondary data were obtained from internet, official records of the community of No.1 and census reports.

This assessment incorporates data from both quantitative and qualitative sources. Qualitative data input includes primary research and secondary research involves quantitative approach.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

Purposive sampling and simple random sampling were used to select respondents from the general population. Sampling units includes, household, farmers and petty traders among others.

Purposive sampling was used to select respondents from the schools, unit committee members, staffs from the school while simple random sampling was used to select respondents from the general population.

SAMPLE SIZE

There were about seventy compounds inNo.1. As a result of interaction problems, weather conditions, unavailability of the people and other constraints, the researcher considered about fifty five of these compounds. Only few respondents were selected and met with at specific times and locations serving as key respondents. Each respondent was approached and interacted with, according to their own convenience and at their comfort zones.

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

The following methods were employed to collect data for the study, the methods are semi structured interview and the use of key informants.

Semi structured interview, the group used semi structured interviews to obtain information from respondents through face to face interactions. This method was used to examine the socio-economic characteristics of the households.

Key informants, this method was used to gather data from the elders of the community on vivid detailed history of the community.

CHAPTER ONE

LOCATION

No.1 is a community in the Fdistrict.

1.1 Community Layout

Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY

The community of No.1 was discovered by two old men, namely K andKA in the year 1909. At that time, Praso was not in existence. These men migrated GFand came to settle. During those days, the whole place was a forest not even route roads. These old men were farmers, the tilled the land and invested all their wealth into cocoa farming. They brought along two wives and their children. Because the invested their wealth into cocoa farming, there was hardship so the engaged themselves in barter trading. These farmers used canoe to cross to the other end of the Pra river. Food crops was used in exchange of fish. The Pra bridge was not visible at that era. These old men were the one’s who tilled the Pra forest. The hardship made their wives to opt out of the marriage, they worked hard and their cocoa farmer started to pick up. They started earning sufficient income from their cocoa farm. These farmers wives got to know their husbands have started to acquire wealth from their cocoa farming, so these women used their children as an excuse to visit their husbands once more. These women told their husbands ‘’because of their children, they have come to stay for good. Due to this circumstance, these farmers sat down one day and said ‘’saa na mbaa w) h) ee, saa na omu pe hia,’’ and decided to name their community Mbaapehia.

The neighboring town of mbaapehia is called ‘’Sum nyame kor du.” The town in Pra called Tufui, was popularly known as Anufui. The owner of the land was called Sisi Apau. Since the demise of the king of Mbaapehia, there has not been an enstoolment of a new king yet, the jaw bone of the late king is in the community of D. and the skull is in the community of Tufoye. There is an acting chief of Mbaapehia called MK is a Fanti, his was a timber cutter. He is from Brenyachim in T. Sisi Apau did not have male children, he only had female children. MK got married to one of Sisi Apau’s daughters before the demise of Sisi Apau. MK was given the opportunity to rule in the absence of Sisi Apau.

2.2 THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY THE PEOPLE

In the community of No.1, Twifo Atti Morkwa to be precise, majority of the community members speak Fanti. In the whole community, there is only one house whose residents are muslims who speak hausa and only one home whose residents are Anlo and they speak Ewe.

2.3 THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY (Religion, schools, hospitals etc)

In the community of No.1, there are only two churches namely Pentecost and Seven Day Adventist (S.D.A).

When it comes to their educational institutions, there is only one school in the community which is nothing to write home about. The school was being financed by a white man. This white man sent thousands of dollars to the school proprietor to construct a six unit block, but the school proprietor failed to deliver and lavished the money. This made the white man withdraw all assistance he was rendering to the school. Due to this, the school collapsed. The school was ignited in 2018. The community members do attend the school in the next town, thus D.. The school children walk about 250metres from No.1 to D. just to attend classes. The neighboring communities walk about almost one kilometer from their houses to the school in D. community. A hand full of the community members have basic education as their highest level of education, while very little are senior high school graduates with majority of them being school dropouts.

HEALTH CARE

The is no hospital nor clinic in the community of No.1. The community members travel all the way to Praso just to seek medical care. There were plans for building a medical center in the community, but due to political division among the community members, the project could not manifest in the year 2012.

2.4 TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS0

There is no enstooled chief in the community of No.1 at the moment, but they are under the supremacy of the D. chief (NA II).

Role of Chief

Some functions of the chief is,

1. He settles disputes among community members.
2. He is also an arbitrator of the land.
3. He is the custodian of the land.
4. He allocates lands for developmental projects.
5. He serves as a mediator between the elders, people and paramount chiefs.

Role of the Council of Elders

1. Assist in making effective rules and regulations.
2. They settle disputes arising in the community.

Role of Community Members

1. They protect the chief and his elders.
2. They partake in communal labor.
3. They are obliged to obey the rules and regulations in the community.

2.5 TRADITONS, CUSTOMS, FESTIVALS, TABOOS etc FESTIVAL

The No.1 in the Twifo Atti Morkwa migrated from Gomoa. The people of No.1 celebrates a festival called Akwambo. The celebration of the festival takes place in the month of August by the people of Gomoa and Agona in the Central Region of Ghana. The Akwambo literally means ’’path clearing’’

The Akwambo festival is usually a week long celebration to commemorate the journey and arrival of the founding settlers of the four towns of Gyinankoma, Ekrawfo, Atakwaa and Otabenadze. Akwambo was first observed by the migrant ancestors of these people, whose primary role when they arrived in a new place was clearing paths to the rivers, farms and other communal places, consequently a day was set aside for this purpose and all those that used these paths were to gather and embark on the exercise. Today, activities such as Durbar, music and dance performances, soccer games, family or community reunions and parades forms part of the special celebrations.

The most important part of Akwambo festival is the ritual path clearing that is done in honor of the first settlers who established the town. Every member of the community is expected to participate in clearing the paths and roads leading to the town, as well as those that provide access to streams, rivers, farms, shrines and communal spaces. Unpaved footpaths are weeded and maintained, while paved roads are ritually swept with branches, brooms and fans made of leaves.

A taboo is referred to as the don’ts of a society or group of people. From our interactions with the elders, we discovered the following are their prohibited customs.

Some of the taboos of No.1 are as follows,

1. The community members do not visit the farms on Tuesday and Wednesday.
2. The significance of these practice is to pay homage to their river, called Asma.
3. Males are not to take rubbish to the refuse dump. They belief, if males visit the refuse dumps, it kills their luck.

Values are abstract virtues that are cherished by the people of No.1 Some of the values are as follows,

1. Respect
2. Hospitality
3. Humbleness
4. Hardworking and Tolerance

2.6 ETHNICITY, KINSHIP, etc

The people in the community No.1 are related by blood and marriage. They celebrate Akwambo festival.

2.7 THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER(S) AND THE UNIT COMMITTEE AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

The modern political structures found in the community are two, they include the Assembly man and the unit committee members. The Assemblyman is the representative of the people at the district level.

The position of Assembly member(s) is to make aware the needs and problems of a community known to it district assembly council or office so those needs or problems could be addressed to bring equitable development.

Honorable KN C is the assemblyman No.1 community, he was elected into power in the year 2019. D. Kojo Krom is the electoral area of No.1 and the surrounding communities. D. Kojo Krom electoral area has five unit committee members, thus one female and four males.

Some duties of the assembly man are as follows,

1. consult the people of the electoral area on issues to be discussed in the District Assembly, collate their views, opinions and proposals.
2. Attend meetings of the District Assembly and meetings of sub-committees of which that member of the district assembly is a member.
3. Meet the electorate before each meeting of the district assembly.
4. Report to the electorate the, i) general decision of the District Assembly and ii) actions the member has taken to solve problems raised by residents in the electoral area.
5. Educates the community on government policies.
6. Tackle sanitation and water issues.
7. Supervise developmental projects.

According to Honorable Kwame Nkrumah Cosmos, the unit committee members are not up and doing. The District Assembly has cautioned and educated the unit committee members severally.

Under the tenure of office of Honorable Kwame Nkrumah Cosmos, he has executed two main projects, thus on education and sanitation. He constructed a library and an I.C.T lab for D. Basic School. Also, he helped complete a J.H.S in the community of Mb.

Some of the challenges faced by the honorable is funding for developmental projects and revenue generation. Also, they do not earn salaries but rather get paid in the form of sitting allowance.

The D. Kojo Krom electoral area has made recommendations to improve upon revenue generation and source of funding for developmental projects.

2.8 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MODERN AND TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION

In most African countries, constitutionally established authorities exercise the power of government alongside traditional authorities. Executive, Legislative and Judicial functions are generally attributed by most modern African constitutions to presidents and prime ministers, parliaments and modern judiciaries. However, almost invariably the same functions, whether or not formally defined and characterized in the same terms or exercised in the manner, are also performed by traditional institutions and their leaders. Chiefs administer land and people, contribute to the creation of rules that regulate the lives of those under their jurisdiction and are called on to solve disputes among their subjects. The relationship between traditional leadership and inherited western-style governance institutions often generates tension. In Ghana, for example, local governance is an area where traditional leadership and the constitutional government sometimes ‘’lock horns.’’ Traditional leaders often feel left out when the government takes decisions affecting their people and land without their consent or involvement. Chieftaincy is further plagued with its own internal problems, including issues of relevance, succession, patriarchy, jurisdiction, corruption and intratribal conflict. Challenges confronting the institution of chieftaincy have continued from the colonial era into recent times. The role of chieftaincy within post-colonial African countries continues to incite lively debates, as the case of Ghana exemplifies. The current constitutional guarantee for chieftaincy and evaluation on it practical workability and structural efficiency under the current governance system. There is compatibility of the institution of chieftaincy with constitutional principles such as equality, accountability, natural justice, good governance and respect for fundamental human rights.

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• Course: Development studies
• Grade: 6.0
• Author: Emmanuel Annan (Author)
• Publication Year: 2022
• Pages: 16
• Catalog Number: V1288739
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346765741
• Language: English