Urbanization and Its Effects on Housing for the Urban Poor in Uyo Metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Urbanization and its effect on housing for the urban poor cannot be over-emphasized particularly in the cities of the global south. The meaning that is attributed to such terms as ‘urbanization’ and ‘urban poor housing’ is frequently wide ranging and not precisely defined. Nevertheless, urban poor housing and urbanization are topical issues at local, regional and international levels which attracts the attention of policy makers and professionals. This study therefore, investigated urbanization and its effects on housing for the urban poor in Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It adopted a cross-sectional research design, which involves the administration of the research questionnaire to the selected respondents in the study area. The responses of the respondents were analyzed using a descriptive statistical tool. The result of the investigation revealed that the majority of the apartments occupied by the urban poor in Uyo metropolis are mostly single rooms and self-contained which are mostly overcrowded. Many of the houses occupied by the urban poor do not have kitchen, toilet, and bathroom in them. Urban poor in the study area are mostly faced with problems of dirty environment, poor power supply, insecurity and lack of basic social amenities. The respondents affirmed that the houses are overcrowded while the nature of crime faced by the urban poor in the study area includes kidnapping (8.5%), pickpocket (22.4%) robbery (46.1%) and rape (23.1%) respectively. The study therefore, recommended amongst others, the provision of basic infrastructures such as electricity, good roads, educational institutions, pipe-borne water, etc. in the urban poor neigbourhoods, rehabilitating of the urban poor neighbourhoods through urban renewal strategies and reducing of the accessibility gap to urban facilities and services between the urban poor and other residents of the city. The study further recommends the utilization of sustainable strategies by the government of Akwa Ibom State to reduce the high rate of rural-urban migration noticed in the study area and the systematic overhauling of the security architecture in Uyo metropolis.