RURAL URBAN MIGRATION

       Rural urban migration is a major problem confronting Ghana at the moment and the movement of the youth especially,school leavers from the rural areas to the urban centers in search of non-existent jobs is what we termed as rural urban migration..Most of our cities like kumasi,Accra,Takoradi are now choked with people.And there are many factors that causes the youth,to move to the cities in search of better jobs.
        First,most of the youth especially,school leavers are not willing to engage in rural jobs,such as farming,weaving,curving.And since these jobs are not attractive to the youth,because of their old methods used in their production,many of these youth migrate to the urban centers in search of better and lucrative jobs.
      Another cause is the practices of outmoded cultural and traditional practices in the rural areas,such as dipo rites,trokosi-rites,female genital mutilation,childhood marriage,tribal marks,enslavement of women through exorbitant dowries.And most girls,especially,who see these cultural practices as outmoded,dehumanizing and humiliating,migrate to the urban centers to free themselves from these outmoded practices.
       War is also another factor which causes rural urban migration.In certain regions in Ghana, like the Upper west,Upper East and the Northern Regions,riots and killing of people have caused fear and panic among residents and as a result,many people have to flee from the rural areas to take shelter in the cities,
         One major effect of this rural urban migration syndrome is the result of high increase in the population in the urban centers.The rise in urban population have created many problems like overcrowding,housing problems among others.Also,there is high unemployment in the urban centers.Rural urban drift results in large proportion of the country's labour force in the cities,since the number of people may be more than the available jobs in the urban centers,most of the youth become unemployed.
         Also,with many people now leaving  for the urban areas,the government is forced to spend more on the urban areas.    The government will have to provide more social services like electricity,water etc for the larger population in the urban areas.This will therefore increase government expenditure.
          There are many solutions to solve this rural urban migration canker,and this dwells much on the Government.Government should first provide basic infrastructural facilities like roads,water,electricity in the rural areas to encourage private industrialists to establish small and medium size industries in the rural areas.These industries can help to bridge the gap between the rural and urban areas.
I think with this,this migration canker can be reduced.