The Socio-Economic And Environmental Challenges Of The Emerging Slums Settlements In The Federal Capital City, Phase Ii Abuja, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The thesis examined the socio-economic and environmental challenges of the emerging slums settlements in

the Federal Capital City, Phase II Abuja (the study area). The study identified the failure of the authorities to

provide adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services for the teeming population of the study

area as a fundamental factor responsible for the emergence and development of slums in the study area. The

study assessed the socio-economic characteristics of residents; the available basic infrastructural facilities

such as hous ing, water supply, waste management, access roads; structure of land use and land cover

changes and security of tenure of land properties. The study area was mapped out and delineated into slums

settlements namely Mabushi, Utako, Wuye, Durumi and Gudu districts for the purpose of enumeration.

Buildings within each of the settlements were counted and numbered. In all, one thousand, four hundred and

seventeen residential buildings were identified. Three hundred and twelve copies of questionnaires were

administered. The same number of questionnaires representing one hundred percent administered was

received from the respondents. Two hypotheses were put forward to test whether there existed significant

variations between the income levels of respondents across the delineated areas; and to test whether there

existed significant variations between the sources of water in the slums of the study area. The data obtained

from the field was summarily analyzed using SPSS software, the Analysis of Variance and Kruskal-Wallis

Tests. The F ratio was used to test for significance at the one percent level. The results obtained show that

there existed no significant variations between the sample means of the five sampled points for the

parameters tested: a large number of respondents fall within the low income category; there is infrastructural

deficit; the structure of land use is largely in violation of the master plan while the land cover is largely

modified. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that both short term policy issues which

includes provision of job opportunities; improvement of quality of life of the low income households;

provision of ho using and other infrastructural facilities; strict enforcement of the master plan for the study

area; ensure all residential buildings are approved and secured to avoid eviction and the long term policy

issues which includes the prevention of slums in the study area be implemented.

Key words: Socio-Economic, Environmental, Challenges, Slums, Settlements, Planning, Phase II Abuja