Effects of Land Price Inflation in Management of Slums and Housing Provision in Onitsha, Anambra State

Abstract

Sequel to the need to tackle the problem of inadequacy in housing provision and the accompanying problems of slum growth, this study analyzed the effects of land price inflation in management of slums and housing provision in Onitsha, Anambra State, with a view of coming up with better solution to the challenges of slum creation and housing provision. The study adopted a survey design/method, having as instruments of data collection; field observation, questionnaires and interviews. A total of 300 copies of the questionnaire was administered randomly in three strata each stratum having about 100 persons being sampled as randomly selected. While stratum 1is the inhabitants of the slum, stratum 2 comprises of the professionals in general environmental  sciences (enlisting environmental managers, estate managers, builders, architects, urban and regional planners, etc) gotten from academic institutions of higher learning and secretariats of professional bodies around the study area. To achieve the aim of this study the following hypothesis was formulated and tested using chi-square as a statistical tool; H₀: the inflation of land Prices does not significantly affect Housing Provision and Slum generation. From the result of the test of hypothesis and field survey, the study concludes that the inflation of land Prices significantly affects Housing Provision and Slum generation therefore needs to be addressed. The study thus recommends that: there should be a reclamation campaign for the slums in Onitsha which will start by education and conscientization of the inhabitants to open their eyes on the benefits of living in a more decent, hygienic and safe environment; the government should make policies which will encourage property owners to develop their properties to standards and rent them out to individuals or cooperate bodies to arrest a situation whereby these undeveloped (uncompleted) structures/buildings serve as hideouts for hoodlums; numerous stringent protocols to land acquisition should be scaled down; creation of gainful employment for the poor masses in the study area and Provision of alternative housing to accommodate or relocation of the inhabitants of these slums.