Citation

Oteng-Ababio M, Sarfo KO, Owusu-Sekyere E. Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduct. 2015; 12: 311-318.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.02.005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper chronicles the socio-economic and institutional factors that underpin the unflinching resilience of survivors in the May 5, 2013 Kantamanto Market fire incident in Accra, Ghana. The research adopted a mixed-method case study model that combines secondary sources and primary data gathering through semi-structured interviews of 25 returned market survivors, supported by 15 expert interviews among local and other government officials, practitioners and academics who are engaged in disaster management and urban planning. The empirical data reveal the importance of strengthening social relationships and cohesion as well as the crucial role of social capital in all stages of disaster management processes: prevention and preparedness, planning, warning communication, physical and psychological impacts, emergency and disaster response, recovery and reconstruction; and how these collectively motivate the survivors' return decision. Concluding, the paper opines that appreciating the interconnection and multidimensionality of social capital can enhance disaster management and optimistically opines that, that trajectory seems to be a crucial issue for future disaster research agendas.