Practices in Central Kumasi: Inherent or Objective?

Even though the Central Business District (CBD) is a critical urban space, extant studies on zoning guidelines ignore the CBDs. Therefore, the extent to which collective actions in CBDs are informed by guidelines is uncertain. Using reviews, the in-depth interviews of 45 CBD users and 5 city managers, and naturalistic observations, the study explored the practices in Kumasi Central through the lens of Ghana’s CBD prescriptions. The review suggests an explicit intent for quality CBD practices per the guidelines. However, the guidelines lack the supporting standards and specifications to aid achievement. The study reveals a disconnection between the observed practices and the guidelines implying that the existence of objective guides does not automatically create the best or the conceived spatial practices. The study indicates that commercialisation without recourse to the provision of social services, land ownership challenges, outdated CBD design in the face of skyrocketing user numbers, and weak punitive measures among others define the practices in modern Central Kumasi. This implies that actions activated by user dispositions, rather than guidelines, shape the CBD’s practices. Consequently, the study recommends revising the CBD guidelines to establish a nationwide standard direction as the first step. Then, the guidelines should be decentralised to consider user preferences and district dynamics. Lastly, it is proposed that CBD redevelopment plans that employ a collaborative and participatory approach are crucial to improving Kumasi’s Central Business District. Thus, a context-driven set of guidelines co-created by governments, urban planners, academicians, traditional authorities, and all stakeholders may work best in achieving the expected spatial expression in CBDs.