Abstract

Our research began in May 2012 when we traveled to Ghana and interviewed several different institutional leaders. We returned in May 2014 to interview people who had been personally impacted by disasters. Each survey confirmed there presently is not any properly established procedures to handle or mitigate disasters. The assumption of this research study is that if disasters are prepared for and effectively managed, it will reduce the extent of the losses experienced in disaster prone communities. Gaining an understanding of these challenges helps to identify best practices which can be recommended to prepare for and mitigate disaster impacts in developing countries. Particularly in the developing world, disaster preparedness, mitigation, and prevention for vulnerable populations are inadequate in disaster prone areas. In Ghana, a case study for this research, major national disasters primarily occur in the form of floods, epidemics, fire, pests, and disease. These situations often severely disrupt the lives of the affected population who, as a result, are deprived of the basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. The research is a collaboration involving research professors from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) and Minnesota State University-Mankato’s Urban and Regional Studies Institute. A significant outcome of this research is to create an awareness of the devastating impact of disasters particularly in the developing world. This can lend itself to training for professional organizations, local government practitioners in the field, and other researchers.