Christiana Subaar, Ntiforo Apori, Justice John Fletcher, Raymond Galyuon, George Edusei and Veronica Wewora Adayira
The majority of the workforce in Wa, the capital of Upper West Region of Ghana depends on agricultural for their survival and are living in a sincere poverty, struggling with life and are often forced to migrate to the southern part of Ghana where there is a bi-modal rainy season, in search of greener pastures as a results of climate change, and its resulting losses in productivity. The study analyzed daily weather observations of mean air temperature and daily rainfall recorded over the period 1990 to 2009. The future meteorological data of Wa, Upper West Region in Ghana are forecasted for the relevant authority and political decision-makers to implement projects and measurements to minimize effects of the climate change in Upper West Region. Time series analysis was used to analyze the meteorological data obtained. Microsoft Excel was used to draw graphs. The study recorded an increase in annual mean temperature of 0.4°C in the last decade (1990-2009) with an annual average rainfall of 4.59 mm per decade. The projections over the next two decades indicate that the annual monthly mean temperature will increase by approximately 1°C per decade with the annual average rainfall of 9.19 mm in the first decade (2010-2029). The results demonstrate an ample evidence of heating and floods as natural disasters that may occur in the Upper West Region of Ghana and this can lead to a great loss of harvest where peasant farmers may be more affected. This is a long way could lead further to the increment of poverty in Ghana. The study, therefore, concludes that the inhabitants of Upper West Region and all people in Ghana should be aware of the climate change so that the population as a whole could do their best to mitigate the effects.