Examining Urban Land Use and Misuse in Aba North and South Local Government Areas, Abia State

Contents lists available at

Journal of Environmental Management and Safety

Journal homepage: www.cepajournal.com

Umunnakwe Henry, C.1 and Azubuine Chika, E2 1. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Abia State University, Uturu. 2. Department of Architecture, Abia State Universuity, Uturu.

Correspondence Author: Dr. Umunnakwe Henry, C. GSM: 07036906677. Email: [email protected]

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history Received 28 April 2019 Good shelter and healthy environment is one of the basic necessities of Received in revised form 19th May 2019 life outside food and water. This study is aimed at examining the general Accepted 17th June 2019 Available online 28th June, 2019 living conditions as a result of the use and mis-use of urban infrastructures with a view of making appropriate proposal of renewal strategies that will aid in providing a more decent living for the residents of Aba North and Aba south local government of Abia State. A sample of the population living in the study area were investigated and Keywords: conclusion drawn from the findings. The data collected were analyzed Urbanization, Urban using tables and percentages. Findings reveal that the use and misuse of Environment, Urban Land Use Aba North and South range from on-street parking, to illegal refuse and Misuse, Land use activities, disposal and conversion of some land use activities. It was also found urban infrastructure out that Aba north has a high land use misue in institutional (91%), residential (90%), and industrial (80.90%). Similarly, Aba south has institutional (97%), agricultural (90%) and recreational (89%)as various aspects of land uses that were being misused. Based on the findings, the study concluded that the study areas surfers from a high misuse of land uses. It is therefore recommended that there should be a strict control of various urban land use development activities in a manner that fosters healthy environment. copyright@ 2019 cepa

Introduction serious challenging problems to scholars, The rapid rate of urbanization and planners, government and the general complexities of urbanization process in populace alike. According to (2017), the Nigeria today have increasingly posed phenomenal rise in the number and size of Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

our cities like Aba north and Aba south as Consequently, living condition of this a result of rural urban migration have over nature become unbearable and tends to the years resulted in several shortage negate the goals and objective of a through the use and mis-use of the urban planned urban environment. In particular environment. These shortages may they have created problems to urban include electricity, water, road and other planning and development authorities in urban infrastructure and amenities, that magnitude are now at weighing the (Abeboi, 2008). This in-turn worsens the estimations, projections and planning state of urban environment in Aba- north proposals produced. To arrest these ugly and south local government areas in Abia trends of development and to make State. The pace of these use and mis –use appropriate proposals for the future, this of the urban environment in the study area researcher considers it a vital issue to have been such that maintenance of tackle the problems more effectively. modest environmental standards Therefore appropriate strategies have to inevitable have to slag behind. The results be applied in order to bring about the has the increasing emergency of urban desired effect in Aba north and Aba south decay in some part of these areas, even in Abia State - the study area. though, in terms of age, these two local government may be described as young Statement of the Problem when compared to other cities in Nigeria. The observation I made during the cause The phenomenal increase in population of this study ranges from inadequate and its attendant effects on the urban housing to general deficiencies in the environment, especially infrastructure and provision of public services and facilities. other land uses, gave rise to this investigation. These effects have left It should be noted that these two local much to be desired. Today the living governments, (Aba north and south) are conditions in some parts of Aba North and the main city and the heart of beat of Abia South have worsened as a result of; poor state and south east Nigeria. As a result of quality housing, on-street parking which the increasing high commercial activity it generate heavy traffic especially at the commands, it attracts people from park hours of the morning and evening, different locations in and outside the conversion of land uses, alteration of country and these has been manifested by planning scheme, sewage blockage with over-crowding, urban slums, dirty, refuse, mixed land uses, deteriorated and insanitary conditions, diseases, squalors, unmaintained streets, poor draining, inadequate social amenities, unsanitary inadequate provision of public services and unhealthy environmental conditions, and facilities, non-adherence to building absence of open spaces, over built up setbacks, illegal and unapproved areas, congestion and poor circulation of developments, lack of open spaces among the layouts. others and these represent some of the conspicuous environmental problems

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

which plague the area. In spite of the fact access to many places and these problems that these areas is relatively highly have turned these areas to a breeding populated and located at the city Centre ground for all sorts of social vices such as there are generally no organized pattern of prostitution, drug addiction and peddling. land use. It is therefore against this backdrop that the researcher developed keen interest in Houses or dwellings are scattered the study. The study will also open up indiscriminately all over the place. Most more avenues for further study in this houses in the study area apart from being topic for other researchers and when this substandard both in physical appearance is done, the urban environment will be and internal facilities, from the stand point more suitable and satisfactory for all to of age and the constitution materials used, live in and also enhance both social and they have since out lived their usefulness economic growth of Abia state in general. considering the increasing need or demand for adequate housing provision in Aim and Objectives of the Study urban environment. Aim: The aim of the study is to examine Hence, a large percentage of the houses the rate of use and misuse of land uses in have dangerous cracks on their walls and Aba North and South urban environment, foundations, while in some others, doors with a view to provide appropriate living and windows have dismembered and hang conditions for the residents of the area. in a dangerous manner. The situation is worsened of the fact that in some areas Objectives: The study objectives are: like Obohia and park road average of 4-6 1. to identify the general living persons are crammed together in such conditions of Aba North and Aba rooms that has poor ventilation. This South areas congestion was found to be as a result of 2. to examine the extent the study areas aggravated number of rural urban have been used and misused emigrants who come to the area as 3. to determine the quality of the artisans or apprentices- there are temporal environmental condition of the study structures (batchers) in some areas like area, and the park road by rail which are used for 4. to analyze the variables that are used residential purposes and these areas do and misused in order to ascertain the not have essential amenities like toilet rate of use and misused of the study facilities and therefore they make use of area. surrounding bushes near the area.

According to the information received from the residents of some parts of the Literature Review study area, the above mentioned problems The respective high rate of urban leads to pools of stagnant water during the development which has been witnessed in rainy season, leading to lack of vehicular the cities in recent times has brought into

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

focus some emergent environmental Aba North and South of Abia state that issues of far reaching implications on the this study is made germane. living conditions of urban dwellers (Okolia, 2014; Harper and Piper, 2009). Urban renewal as a method or strategy Urbanization which is the rise in that could be used in solving the effect of population of a total population that is the use and misuse of urban environment concentrated in urban settlement as has been variously described by different distinct from the rural dispersion has authors and organizations. Some scholars affected the use of urban environment hold the belief that this term is nebulous (Adibeh and Esagha 2017; Haramby and with several possible meanings and that Morgan, 2016) and has been a major the concept is as old as cities themselves concern for planners. (Richard 2007). However, in the midst of all those doubts and misconceptions some One major concern and challenge of academicians and international urban population growth in Nigeria has organization have made a number of been to provide a tolerable urban contributions towards giving a more environment for increasing concentration general definition on the terms. of people in urban area or cities of the country (Honner and Sommer, 2014; Other diversified views on urban renewal Agugu, 2017). Therefore, this has been a include the submission made by APA major concern to policy makers, planners’ (2015) which noted that demolition and researchers and even the general public rebuilding option is unlikely been the when one thinks of the existing and answer to the problems of substandard deteriorating environmental condition in housing. This, according to him, is Nigeria cities (Alderline and Morbin, because whatever the age, type and 2013; Onuoha, 2016). It is being location of property cleared, employment increasingly realized that the quality of is always reduced since the general land environment in which the urban dwellers use pattern and economic activities of the in Nigeria live is an integral part of the area will be affected. Also uniting of overall indicator of development some issues, Sargon (2016) and Uchendu, (Anyanwu, 2010; Rachael, 2013). He (2012) believes that the clearance of slum contended that city’s natural environment is not an effective way of solving the by itself does not determine the quality of problem as it creates other problem of urban life and he maintained that the way resettlement. He noted that slum in which people perceive the natural improvement scheme was successful environment of their city and develop and because technologies such as use will reflect much about the quality of rehabilitation of colonies, renovation of life. It is against this background of shelters and provision of civic amenities increasing urbanization and its effects in were supplied. Nigeria coupled with the effects of use and misuse of the urban environment in

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

In most developing countries, most Upon the creation of Abia State in 1991, government favour urban renewal since Aba was divided into two local among other things, it is a means by government areas namely; Aba south and which substandard houses in the central Aba North. Aba south is the main city slum areas can be improved (Breek and centre and the heartbeat of Abia State, William, 2011; Bruno, 2013). Urban South East Nigeria. It is located on the renewal efforts have been made in Nigeria Aba River. Aba was established by the since the turn of the century and Lagos Ngwa clan of Igbo people of Nigeria as a was the starting point, for example, market town and then later a military post Olaleye-Iponri, Isala-eko, Agege and was placed there by the British colonial Ikorodu areas. Outside Lagos, there are Administrator in 1901. It lies along the known cases of urban renewal schemes west bank of the Aba River, and it is at which can actually be or been in the the intersection of roads leading to Port process of implementation. What exist in Harcourt, owerri, umuahia, Ikot-ekpene most cases are many research reports and and IkotAbasi. The city became a findings about various slum locations, collecting point for Agricultural products their characteristics, what could be done following the British made railway to achieve the desired state in the running it to Port Harcourt. Aba is a major identified cities and neighborhoods. For urban settlement and commercial centre in examples for example Banny and Brady a region that is surrounded by small (2009) identified four slum areas in four villages and towns. The indigenous states and towns in Nigeria. These include people of Aba are the Ngwa. Aba is well Ajegunle in Lagos, Obohia in Aba, known for its Craftsmen. As of 2006 Elekuro in Ibadan, Ibiwe area in Benin census, Aba had a population 534,265. and Ogbete residential area in Enugu and Aba south and north are local government they were intensively studied for analysis. areas of Abia State, Nigeria. They have their headquarters in the city of Aba. It o o o STUDY AREA has a coordinate of 5 06 N 7 21 E and a total Area of 49km2 (19sq mi). It has a Aba is a city in the South East of Nigeria population of 423, 852 persons according and the commercial centre of Abia state. to 2006 national population census.

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

Fig. 1 Map of Nigeria showing Abia State

Methodology A total of 8696.06 hectares of land were sampled from Aba North, while The study draws a comparative analysis 11507.58hectares of land were sampled between the use and misuse of land uses from Aba South from where the and land use activities in Aba North and percentage of use and misuse were Aba South urban environment. The deduced. The research involved field factors under consideration are urban land survey, measurements and descriptions in use and misuse. The variables were order to clearly identify the extent of use identified as commercial, recreational, and misuse of the urban land uses. industrial, residential, institutional, health and agriculture. Other variables considered are subset of the above Data Analysis mentioned variables, and they are on- The analysis is fundamentally depends on street parking, refuse dump, open space drawing comparisons between the use and conversion, change of use, housing, water, misuse of Aba North and Aba South clinics and dispensaries, road and urban environment. The variables are security. These were further classified further classified into different land uses into different land uses to ease to ease computation and analysis. It is computation and analysis. It is from the from the classified urban landuses and classified urban land uses and land use land use activities that responses were activities that responses were drawn, with drawn, with statistical tables constructed statistical tables constructed and for further interpretation and applications expressed in simple percentages for (see Table 1, 2 and 3). further interpretation.

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

Table 1: Analysis of Aba North Urban Landuse and Mis-use S/N Land use activities used and Area in Percentage of Percentage of misused hectares use (%) misuse (%) 1 Commercial 2945.72 25.00 75.00 2 Recreational 829.71 25.02 74.9 3 Industrial 1150.01 10.10 89.90 4 Residential 1239.12 10.00 90.00 5 Institution 1231.00 9.00 91.00 6 Health 850.40 27.89 72.11 7 Agriculture 450.10 15.67 84.33 Total 8,696.06 17.96 82.04

2 Table 1, indicates that the variables 23km (sq. ml.) from the analysis, the analyzed consists commercial, percentage number of people who use recreational, industrial, residential, and each of the facilities were stated as well as institutional, health, and agricultural. the percentage of misuse of urban land From the study, it is revealed that Aba use. North Local Government has an area of

Table2: Analysis of Aba South Urban Land Use and Misuse

S/N Land use activities used Area in Percentage 0 of Percentage of and mis-used Hectares use (%) misuse (%) 1 Commercial 3994.56 30.34 69.66 2 Recreational 915.05 10.20 89.80 3 Industrial 1986.59 16.67 83.33 4 Residential 2100.10 16.68 83.82 5 Institutional 810.20 3.00 97.00 6 Health 1050.78 37.73 62.27 7 Agriculture 650.30 9.23 90.77 Total 11,507.58 18.37 81.63

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

2 Table 2, shows the variables analyzed to land area of Aba South is 29km . From consist: commercial, recreational, the study it is clear that institutional and industrial, residential, and institutional, agricultural and recreational land uses are health, and agricultural. From Table 2 the worst hit, with health and commercial also, the study revealed that the sample land uses being the least misused.

Table 3: Analysis of Aba South and North Urban Landuse Activities Variables On- Refuse Conversion Change Housing Water Road Clinics Security street Dump of Open of Use conditions (%) (%) And Parking Space (%) (%) (%) dispensaries (%) (%) Use 30 5 37 48 49 26 21 40 35 Misuse 70 95 63 52 51 74 79 60 65

Table 3 presented the analysis of urban 2. For recreational areas, 25.02% make land use facility variables. From the table, good use of recreational land use it is obvious that refuse dump rates the while 74.98% mis-use the recreation highest with about 95% abuse in the form land use provision. of dumping wastes in water bodies, 3. For industrial areas, 10.10% make use drainage channels, and on- streets. Next is of the industrial land use while 89.9% the wrong use of road network in the form this land use provision. of portholes, building encroachments and 4. For residential areas, 10.0% make on-street trading. Water as land use good use of residential land use while facility is abused by dumping wastes in 90.0% misuse the residential land inland water ways, water clogging and use while 90.0% misuse the debris deposits. Similarly, on-street residential land use provisions. parking has resulted into accidents and 5. Institutional has 9.0% good usage unkempt environment; others include against 91.0% misuse. illegal change of use, housing dilapidation 6. Health land use has 72.11% of misuse; and public open space conversions. and 7. Agricultural land use has 84.33 % of misuse. Results

The results of Table 1 (land use and The result of Table 2, from Aba south misuse in Aba north) shows: (land use and misuse) reveals: 1. For commercial areas 25.00% make

good use of this land use while 75.00% mis-use the land use. 1. for commercial areas 30.34% make use of commercial land use while 69.66% misuse commercial land use;

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

2. in recreational land use 10.20% make the case of road as a variable in this study use of recreational land use while for commercial areas, people tend to 89.8% misuse the land use; introduce residential, institutional and 3. for industrial areas, 16.67% make use other land uses or recreational areas, most of the land use while 83.33% misuse of the lands provided for this purpose are the land use provisions; converted into refuse dump site, car park 4. for residential areas, 16.68% make and even residential land uses. For good use of this land while 83.82% industrial land use, illegal residential misuse this land use;. developments are sited in this area. Most 5. institutional land use has 3.00% users of these industries that are not functioning while there are 97% misuses; again are converted to mechanic 6. Health land use has 62.27 % of workshops, open spaces for some other misuse; and criminal activities etc. 7. Agricultural land use has 90.77% of For institutional land use, are being mis- misuse. used as most of these institutions E.g. some hospitals that are not functioning The result of Table 3 (Urban land use again are converted to grazing land for the activities), from Aba north and south herdsmen. It has also formed a place for reveals that: hide-out for the hoodlums. 1. Refuse dump rates the highest with From the Tables 1 and 2, it can be about 95% abuse in the form of deduced that there is a greater percentage dumping wastes in water bodies, of misuse of these variables than the way drainage channels, and on- streets; they are being used for both Aba North 2. Next is the wrong use of road network and South. It can also be noted that Aba in the form of portholes, building South being the major city Centre conduct encroachments and on-street trading; the highest level of population size and 3. Water as land use facility is abused by therefore has the highest percentage of dumping wastes in inland water ways, urban misuse. Furthermore, the water clogging and debris deposits; implications of these misuses can be seen 4. Similarly, on-street parking has in the urban communities as physical resulted into accidents and unkempt conditions of these urban areas, inform of environment; and bad road network, physical conditions of 5. others include illegal change of use, the houses, lack of maintenance of the housing dilapidation and public open overall infrastructural facilities and poor space conversions. environment quality in general which has all most caused a breakdown of some Discussion parts of these study areas. Some other The misuse of this land uses ranges from implications of this misuse can also be on street parking and conversation of seen inform of poor health conditions of some land portion into motor parks for in these communities, it can attract the inhabitation of hoodlums as these areas if

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

not properly maintained could lead to appropriate agencies to ensure an slum or ghetto. untamable environment. However, taking appropriate measures calls for a thorough Conclusion understanding of the urban environment. In conclusion, Aba North and South are REFERENCES growing in a very rapid rate, there has been no commensurable growth in the Abeboi, O. (2008).New School Chemistry, rate at which social services and New Edition, Onitsha: Africana FEP infrastructural amenities are provided. Publishers Limited. The result has been gradual decline in the quality of the environment and in the Adibeh, E.E. and Esagha E. quality of life. Educational facilities found (2017).Environmental Impact in the government primary and secondary Assessment and Management in schools have not been able to Nigeria. Volume one, Enugu. accommodate the sharp increase in the Immaculate Publications Limited number of pupils, the ratio of population Agugu, A. (2017). Earth, Ecology and to health facilities such as dispensaries, Environment in Adibe, E. C and maternity homes and hospital are Essaghah, A.E. (eds) Environmental unfavorable. Health facilities are neither Impact Assessment And Management well-staffed nor adequately equipped. The In Nigeria. Volume one Enugu. same findings apply to housing, Immaculate Publications Limited,7- employment opportunities and crime 11. prevention facilities. Alderline, J and Morbin, (2013).Regional The pattern trend and characteristics of Planning: A Comprehensive view. the use and misuse of the urban Great Britain: Leonard Hill Books. environment in Aba North and South local government of Abia state calls for: American Planning Association streaming the growth of the areas; (2015).Comprehensive City Planning; controlling the rate of rural urban Introduction and Explanation. migration; improving the quality of life in Michigan Books Crafters. both rural and urban areas; providing adequate infrastructural facilities so that Anyanwa, B.D. (2010). Landuse and the one available will not be over used by conservation in Nigeria: the growing population; rehabilitation and Implementation, Approaches, and conservation as an urban renewal strategy strategies, in Igbozurike, U. M. (ed) should be employed and adopted in order Land Use and conservation in to rehabilitate some areas that are being Nigeria; Nsukka University of blighted depending on the identified Nigeria Press. problems; and strict enforcement of land use activities and development by the

Umunnakwe H.C. and Azubuine C.E./Journal of Environmental Management and Safety Vol. 10, No. 1, (2019) 21 – 31

Sargon, N.K. (2016) Physical Geography. Federal Republic of Nigeria (1978).Land 4th Edition. U. S.A. Wikey& Sons Use Decree. Lagos: Government Inc. Printer. Glasson, J. (1984) an Introduction Registration planning: Banny, A and Brady, S.V. 2nd Edition, Great Britain: Hutchins (2009).Surveying.4th Edition, Co. (Publishers) Limited. London; Pitman Public Limited. Harpper, P. and Piper. C.B. (2009). Bruno, O (2013) Basic Elements of Urban Geography: A modern synthesis. and Regional Planning; Akure Third edition, New York: Harper and Shalom publishers. Row, publishers.

Breek, J.M and William, G.G. (2011).A Honner, A.D. and Sommer (2014).Oxford Geography of Mankind, Second Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: Edition; New York: McGraw-Hill current English. London: oxford Book Company. university press.

Okolia, N.C. (2014).Communication in Haramby, B and Morgan, P.F. English; Onitsha: Thonik Prints (2016).Christian community Bible Production Limited Philippines: Claretian publications and St. Paul publications. Smart. J.W. (2013).Environmental impact Assessment Report: Petrol filling Onuoha, K. E. (2016). Geographic Station for Fezeo Associates Nigeria thought. Enugu. Gamoe Enterprises Limited. Obollo Afor; Udenu L.G.A. Nigeria.

Isaiah, A.E. (2017). Urban Planning Rachael, J.J. (2013).An introduction to Concepts: Standards and Symbols; Urban and Regional Planning: Lagos: Anfitop Books. London: Hutchinson.

Isaiah, A.E., Nonye, G. S. and Nwamara, Uchendu, N.H. (2012).Environmental O.O. (2012). Elements of Planning. management and protection. Enugu Enugu: Ocjanco Academic precision printers and publishers. Publishers.