A new study led by Dr. Dr. Seth Christopher Yaw Appiah, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has called for stronger community-based climate response systems to protect vulnerable populations in northern Ghana who are either forced to migrate or remain trapped in disaster-prone areas due to the effects of climate change.

The study, conducted among more than 2,100 residents in 12 communities across the Talensi and Savelugu districts, found that nearly half of respondents (49.9%) remain immobile despite recurring floods, droughts, and windstorms.

Meanwhile, about 22 percent of respondents have been forced to migrate due to extreme weather conditions.

Dr. Appiah explained that this pattern of what researchers call “climate immobility” highlights the need for policy responses that go beyond relocation efforts.

“We need policies that protect livelihoods where people are, not only policies that move people from one place to another,” he said. “Strengthening local adaptation systems, expanding early warning mechanisms, and improving community resilience are essential.”

The study recommends that the Ghana Meteorological Agency enhance localized weather forecasting and work closely with NADMO to establish community-level early warning communication for flooding, particularly during the annual Bagre Dam spillage season.

It further calls on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to increase mobile health outreach services in remote communities affected by climate-related disasters.

Described as the largest study of its kind in Ghana, the research used a mixed-method approach, combining household surveys, community interviews, and field observations, to provide new evidence on how climate change is driving both migration and immobility across vulnerable communities.

The study concludes that empowering local resilience structures, improving infrastructure, and integrating climate adaptation measures into district development plans will be key to reducing displacement, preserving livelihoods, and protecting community well-being across northern Ghana.