ABSTRACT
Housing has
become one of the major problems in which individuals, private / public
establishment are facing in the new state capital in Nigeria today.
Housing do
not offer shelter only but also they are considered as a status social and a
successful life. The research work will enable us to identity the problems, the
impacts, the importance and the general effect of housing problem in the new
state capital.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title page
Certification
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Housing
problem in Asaba
1.2 Historical background of Asaba
1.3 Problem
of land acquisition for housing
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Situations
of existing houses in Asaba
2.1 Lack
of maintenance
2.2 Town
planning regulations
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Rehabilitation
and conservation
3.1 Solution
to the Housing problem
3.2 Effectiveness
of property maintenance
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Population
density
4.1 Use
of local building materials
4.2 Solution to land acquisition problem
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary,
Recommendation and conclusion
5.1 Summary
/ Conclusion
5.2 Recommendation
5.3 References
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Housing is one of the three basic necessities of
life. He dignity of man is usually enhanced by his ownership of house. The
greater population of the world population is housed, the population that is
well housed is in the minority while dilapidated houses are accommodating the
greater population of the world.
The concentration and rapid increase of population
in the new state capitals is based on the few and inadequate social services in
the town. The main pointer in the new state capital is the problem of a
housing, houses to match the over-growing demand so as to produce rent which
are reasonable to meet the community and which are equitable in terms of
returns to investors in housing in the urban area and developing areas like
Asaba-statistics have it that in Asaba, some areas, the home is too small to
allow for decent family life and offers no more than a tiny abode to its members.
Statistics also have it that urban dwelling are in general over-crowded and
surrounded by a deplorable urban landscape situation. This most unsatisfactory
situation is still setting hard due to the impact of population growth and urbanization,
there has been a remarkable increase in recent years.
In
the recent rate of growth of population together with a steady force of
population from the rural area to the urban centres. Theres has been a rapid
increase in the number of experts, administrative and technical personels as a
result of improvement, changes and growth in development standard improvement
in the general level of prosperity; income, living condition of people has led
to people demanding more and better houses.
On
the other hand, supply for number of reasons has not kept pace with this demand
in the urban areas because of industries situated there, it has made it
possible for people to migrate to these areas despite the quality of a problem
in finding a means to have accommodation which is relatively cheap with the
means of the rural folk and yet of sufficient high quality ot satisfy certain
basic requirements.
Though
these days, expert now live in the rural areas because of developments, it
still takes time to construct dwelling house, while the buildings are under
construction, they will have to accept the available ones. The housing problem
out of necessity to be considered against the background of the social philosophy
of the community. there are certain peculiarities associated with the economic
of housings, particularly the fact that there is considerable inconsistency on
both the demand and supply side of housing.
There
is the unadulterated ‘MARXIST’ view that government should be totally committed
and has a responsibility ot provide accommodation at reasonable rents must be
provided for every person and so on should be allowed, for instance to take
advantage of his ownership of land or wealth to exploit the tenant group in
society, having said all these, it will be proper to state the problem of housing
in Asaba. It is very common to see that the acquisition of and is tough in the
sense that land is expensive and counted in supply and in addition, it takes a
rather long time to negotiate and come by good title to land even after land
must have been acquired and building erected. It is not enough because it
cannot accommodate the teeming population and this ten leads to over crowding which
is not good for healthy living. Buildings are over crowded and human being also
are too much due to large household size and shortage of housing.
One
point should be understood and that is of good planning, if Asaba is well
planned, then the problem of housing may not be much. But because of inadequate
facility utilities and amenities not been provided for. It will then be worsen
when the population is much or over crowded. Come to think of it rents are very
high for the good enough buildings and this does not go down well for the low
income earners and this makes for an unhealthy way of living but if the government
could come and build low cost houses, then it will save these dwellers from
their suffering.
Although
dwellers who can afford decent houses ot live in, it makes for the high growth
of tenement, because they now resort to live in place where there is not good
ventilation and the house cluster. These houses are not permanent in the sense
that if there is heavy wind or rain, the building collapses and life is lost,
tough because they will have to provide another accommodation or they will have
to rebuild.
Lack
of planning is another problem because since these houses are built carelessly,
it does make for good planning. They do not get the go ahead from the
authorities concerned, these buildings have been developed and demolished when
the planning authorities find out, so it is safer to get the go ahead from the
authorities concerned even though it will take so much time ot acquire but it
should be worthwhile in the long run.
Decent
housing is one of the basic need of every individual, the family and community.
in general a pre-requisite to the survival of man. The housing as a unit of the
environment has profound influence on the health, efficiency, social behaviour
satisfaction and general welfare of the community it reflects the cultural,
social and economic value of a society as it is the best physical and
historical evidence of civilization in a town and country. The importance of
providing adequate housing in any town cannot be over stated. It is a stimulant
of the national economy.
Decent
housing on the other had can be regarded as a right of every individuals, a
great population of the population in Asaba live in sub-standard and poor
housing and a deplorable, unsanitary rapid urbanization and economic growth
have compounded the problem of acute population in Asaba.
1.1 HOUSING PROBLEM IN ASABA
There is therefore great shortage of housing
especially for the low-income earners in Asaba. A household sample survey
conducted one selected part of the town in October 1995 by the participants of
this workshop revealed that about 84.46% of the housing units are flats while
only 28.4% are tenement units. This has resulted in high room occupancy ration
of more than five (5) persons per habitable room as recorded in parts of
Umuaji, Umuezei, Egengbome in Asaba.
flat
sharing or multiple occupation of apartment flats are measures used by those of
low-income earner to redress. This often leads to the deterioration of the
residential buildings and the environment. The causes of shortage of tenement
house can be attributed to such factors as high cost of land by acquisition,
lack of finance, high cost of building materials, and population trends, unwillingness
of private developer to invest in tenement houses due largely to know returns
from such development and the fact that planning schemes for some of the layout
deliberately excluded tenement building eg Ezena Avenue.
Sitting
of certain housing project (i.e portion of low cost housing) are some of the
factors responsible for flooding in the city. Some draws in the Ezenei Avenue, low
cost housing for example were constructed with utter disregard to the
topography of the area so that water is expected to flow against the radiant.
In general, the problem of housing in Asaba is more of shortage of appropriate housing units in form of tenement or rooming
houses whose rents are affordable by people in the low income level than
shortage of flat apartment many of which vacant due to high rentage.
Also
flood wreaks in Asaba, make people lose property and also the lost of five’s
are encountered. These problems bring about rebuilding and displacement of
occupants of the affected buildings.
1.2
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ASABA
Asaba is
located in the eastern part of delta state with sixteen (16) local government
area. A rapid developing urban centre and the administrative headquarter of
Delta state in Nigeria.
Its historical roots is from both Kogi and Anambra state.
A woman
named Diaba from Agbakuba village in Nteje, Anambra state, was said to have
been impregnated by Onojobo, a prince and trader from Igala land, while she was
residing in Eze Anyanwu’s court as one of the court girls. She was said to have
hailed from the royal line of Ezechima, the legendary ancestor of numerous
settlements east of the Niger,
including Onitsha.
This explains why Benin, Asaba and Onitsha seem to share a common culture and tradition
as in the area of festival regalia like traditional coral beads and hand-woven
big flowing white gowns and traditional titles scuh as the Onowu Iyasele of
Onitsha and the Iyase Onowu of Asaba. Asaba is one of the emerging urban
centres of present date Nigeria.
Before the creation of Delta and Ado
state, Asaba was the headquarter of Oshimili south local government which has a
limited political significance. After the creation of Delta state and Asaba as
the headquarter continue to attract many governmental functionaries such as
ministries and all types of government parastatals thereby swelling up in
population increase, in working class people.
Today,
Asaba is experiencing greater housing problems than ever before and it is
feared that impact may take some time to subside.
1.3 PROBLEMS
OF LAND ACQUISITION FOR HOUSING
Before the land use Act of 1978, ownership of land
was rested on individuals and community which result to cumbersome and
obstacles to individuals willing to acquire an interest in land. The alnd use
Act stopped private owners and individuals form owning land rather having
possession on it in perpetuity. It rested all land in the power of the governor
of each state. Before a private individual acquires and interest in land from
the state governor, he has to undergo series of protocol before he can be
issued with a right of title or certificate of occupancy to use and enjoy the
relevant piece of land usually evidence in certificate of occupancy (C OF O).
The system
and process of securing title to land is unsatisfactory and cumbersome. As a
first step towards this, the private individual has to buy a form which
contains some questions to be completed and submitted before specified time.
The authority concerned with the processing and insurance of this certificate
of occupancy often make situations difficult for the developer who would
otherwise which to make immediate development. this is because the certificate
of occupancy consume a lot of time before it can be issued to a developer. The
next stage after the processing of the form is that, those that have been
approved are rent to the governor for endorsement and whereby governor is busy,
he can then assign this duty of endorsement to the commissioner of lands, works
and transport, who endorses his signature with a red wax to show its validity.
The successful applicant is then given a certificate
of occupancy to use and enjoy the land subject to the conditions and covenants
contained in the said certificate.
The logic being the issue of condition and covenants
is that only authorized occupier can develop, enjoy or lease the land but
subject of course to the zoning and planning laws and other regulations
affecting land use, in relevant urban area. it is now clear from the foregoing
that housing is militated against by the problem of land acquisition in Asaba.
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