The Effects of Land Speculation on Urban Planning and Development in Bajabure Area, Girei Local Government,

Abstract

The paper examined land speculation and its effects on urban planning and development in Bajabure area in Girei Local Government, Adamawa State. A total of 50 respondents were interviewed comprising professionals like Urban Planners (URP), Land Surveyors (LAS), and Architects (ARC); Residents of the area, and Land Sales Agents. All the respondents (except residents) were purposively sampled. Findings revealed that majority acquired their land through Agents or Village head as 50% of the respondents affirmed that they acquired land through the Agents while 33.3% got their own plot through the Village head (Mai Unguwa). Subdivision of land is done without involving professionals or the government as confirmed by 90% of the respondents. Interviews with professionals confirmed that land speculation causes planning problems such as poor land subdivision (100% of respondents), poor access roads (70% of respondents), urban sprawl (90%), incompatibility of land uses (60%), emergence of Cul-de-sacs (50% of respondents), improper setbacks (50%) and dominance of residential land use over other uses (30%). It is recommended that Government takes over land administration as provided in the LUA, 1978 and Development Control department of Urban Planning and Development Authority (ASUPDA) swings into action to curb the haphazard development in the area.

Keywords: Land Speculation, Urban Planning, Sprawl, Development, Land uses, Land Tenure, Land Acquisition, Subdivision, Land Use Act (LUA), Setback