Residential and Industrial Compatibility: The Case of AccraNew Town Printing Business

ABSTRACT 

Rising incidents of printing business establishment amidst residential settlement is a growing phenomenon in Accra New Town. Ideally, in a residential settlement, houses should predominate as opposed to industrial and commercial activities, but in Accra New Town, the situation differs. Printing businesses are overshadowing residential activities and has become part of the general livelihood of the inhabitant of the town; but has not been documented. This study which emanated from a pure interest in printing and design as a component of graphic design sought to trace the origin and nature of printing business in Accra New Town, and also identify the impact of printing business on the residential livelihood of the people of Accra New Town and vice versa. By this means, factors contributing to continuous and present co-existence” of residential and printing business activities were investigated through interview, observation and documentary review. The respondents gathered for the study were sampled purposively, put in strata and later sampled by means of simple random sampling technique in this category; one (1) graphic designer, one (1) machine operator, three (3) press owners, three (3) landlords, one (1) Assemblyman and one (1) elder of the land. In all ten (10) participants were selected from the entire Accra New Town population for the study. Using a thematic analysis approach, this study analysed the incidence of printing business and the residential livelihood of the people of Accra New Town. It was deduced that, the trending and lucrative nature of printing business, low prices in purchasing a piece of land for printing business establishment, and easy access to cheap labour and resources are the main factors contributing to the continuous and present “co-existence” of residential and printing business activities in Accra New Town. The researcher based on the findings concluded that the continuous and present blend of residential and printing business activities is as a result of the easy access to items needed for printing business establishment and the huge profit gained after less investment. The study therefore recommends institutions of regulatory bodies in the town to ensure that the continuous growth of industrial and residential activities in Accra New Town takes place in a way that promote safe and environmentally friendly livelihood.