Understanding electricity nightmare and health implications among slum dwellers in Ghana

Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine the electricity challenges confronting slums in order to understand the health implications thereof. Design/methodology/approach The study utilized purposive sampling techniques supported by the convenience sampling method within the context of qualitative research to select 30 interviewees of varying demographics for in-depth interviews. Findings The findings revealed that slums faced various forms of challenges that are attributable to lack of government support, stringent procedures and financial hardship, among others. The study also found that a lack of health education in the slums has resulted in health problems, such as skin diseases, stomach aches, cholera, typhoid and childbirth complications. Research limitations/implications The outcome of this study cannot be generalized to represent the whole population of slums within context due to the qualitative approach. Practical implications The study advanced the frontiers of slum literature to understand contextual issues that are important to policymakers and practitioners. Originality/value This study revealed a country-specific understanding of the challenges confronting slum dwellers in accessing electricity through the perspective of the two-factor theory of motivation.