Peri-Urban Housing and Environmental Quality Problems in Choba Town, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study seeks to examine peri-urban housing and environmental quality problems in Choba town, Rivers State, Nigeria. The objectives among others were to examine the condition of houses in the study area, investigate residents’ satisfaction to housing quality, highlight the factors that influence choice of housing in the study area and appraise the affordability or otherwise of housing in the study area. To achieve this, the study generated data from field survey questionnaire using interviews and direct observation. The data generated were analyzed using a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. From the findings, it was observed that many buildings in the study area are inadequate qualitatively and are located in unsanitary environment. The result of the survey further showed that most residents are dissatisfied with the condition of their present accommodation owing to the quality of the house and neighborhood environmental condition. Further evidence from the study revealed that majority of respondents spend large share of their income on housing thereby diverting funds for other necessities of life. Based on these findings, the study recommends that government should provide safe, adequate and affordable housing for her citizens in line with the provisions of 2012 National Housing Policy, the Nigerian government at all levels should incorporate social housing into government housing development policy to address the problem of housing affordability particularly for the low-income earners and entrepreneurs wishing to go in to the production of building material should be encouraged through tax relief and incentives