Urbanization and Other Land Use Land Cover Change Assessment in the Greater Kumasi Area of Ghana

Abstract

Urbanization posits the expression of urban expanse expansion due to population growth, rise in built-up areas, high population density and its corres-pondingly urban way of life. Unrestrained impetus of development and land use land cover change (LULCC) portent several issues such as unlawful urban sprawl, loss of agricultural land, forest loss and other associated complica-tions. This study analyzed the dynamics of urbanization and other LULCC in Ghana’s Greater Kumasi area via Landsat images (TM 1986, OLI 2013 and OLI 2023) using ERDAS Imagine, Idrisi and ArcGIS software. Implementing supervised classification technique, the Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) procedure was employed to categories the study area into five LULC classes. Accuracy assessment undertaken on the resultant LULC maps was deemed very satisfactory. The results from 1986-2023 pointed to an upsurge in a built-up extent as of 8% to 41%, a decrease in Closed Forest from 9% to 4%, another decrease in Open Forests from 64% to 33%, a slight increase from 16% to 20% in farmlands and a stable level of water share. Further analysis indicated that the study area had undergone LULCC within the periods 1986-2013 and 2013-2023 at 60% and 37% respectively. The findings showed uncontrolled urban sprawling along major roads and forest loss as deforestation outside protected areas and degradation in protected forest. The monitoring of urbanization and other LULCC is important for local, and national governments and other bodies charged with the implementation of programs