Wetlands are important ecological resources that provide immense socioeconomic and ecological services. Despite these services, their sustainability, especially in the cities in the Global South, is undermined by anthropogenic activities such as farming, sand and salt winning, among others. The region's rapid urbanization is expected to exacerbate the threats. However, in the Ghanaian context, only few studies have explored the effects of rapid urbanization on the availability and sustainability of this important environmental resource. To address this research vacuum, the present study employed mixed-methods to explore the effects of urbanization on the wetland ecosystem in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) of Ghana. There results indicate a negative statistical association between rapid urbanization and the availability of wetlands in GAMA. Additionally, the results of the study have shown that land-use activities along wetlands undermine the quality and sustainability of this environmental resource. Given this context, the study recommends that the appropriate institutional regimes (such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Town and Country Planning Department and Accra Metropolitan Assembly) institute strict buffer restrictions along these wetlands to mitigate human encroachment as well as intensify awareness campaigns to expose people to the values and benefits of this important ecosystem.
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