Sekondi-Takoradi as an Oil City
Abstract
The discovery of oil off the coast of the Western Region has significantly altered the spatial and socio-economic profile of Sekondi-Takoradi, the most industrialised urban settlement closest to the oil fields. Existing research on the impacts of oil is typically framed around the resource curse doctrine, which draws a determinist link between reliance on oil and socio-economic conditions, but primary data collected in Sekondi-Takoradi show a more nuanced reality. The urban landscape in the city has undergone rapid changes, including the influx of migrants. This situation coupled with the presence of international oil companies is driving spin-off investments in the city’s real estate market and major commercial developments such as malls and five-star hotels. Oil is, therefore, driving the economic growth of the city in sync with the Takoradi Port that is also expanding strategically to accommodate demands of the oil industry. These changes present fresh challenges to the city authorities, however, and are likely to overwhelm current capacity.
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