1.1 Introduction
Housing is a basic need for sophisticated existing from one of those basic social conditions that determine the quality of life and welfare of people and places. Most Nigerian does not have access to decent housing units due to the cost occasioned by the cost of building materials. This has led to various researches into development of the new and innovative dry construction techniques to enhance access to housing for all. Various researchers are of the opinion that with the demand for housing in Nigeria growing at a geometric rate while housing provision is at arithmetic rate, there is obvious need to evolve a more practical method of achieving mass housing development in the country.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Slums are home to the poorest of urban populations in Africa. The houses inhabited by slum dwellers are mostly decrepit, overcrowded, in neighborhoods that are prone to flooding and beset with poor sanitation and shortage of potable water. Slums are easily formed in areas experiencing rapid urbanization without commensurate increase in the provision and maintenance of housing and infrastructure. Slums have been conceptualized as a group of buildings or an area characterized by overcrowding, deterioration, insanitary conditions, or absence of basic and essential facilities like potable water, drainage system, schools, health facilities, recreational grounds, post office, among others. Slums generate spontaneously and are in some cases, a direct result of the prevalence of poverty experienced by the inhabitants of cities (Olotuah, 2006). Slums, which are regarded as an element of urban decay, also result from congestion in overcrowded cities where poor immigrants seek to settle for just any available accommodation irrespective of quality.
The overwhelming negatives notwithstanding, there are some positive aspects to slums. In recent years, some environmentalists and organizations such as the United Nations Population Fund suggested that despite the poor living conditions, slums are positive both environmentally and socially. Because slums are characterized by very high density of housing, its environmental impact is smaller than that of dispersed rural communities. Furthermore, the fertility rate of new slum dwellers is below the replacement rate; this mitigates dangers associated with overpopulation that results from manpower-intensive subsistence agriculture, and frees up arable land for the nature, or more efficient industrialized agriculture. Slum dwellers also appear to have vastly better opportunities for getting jobs, starting small businesses and climbing out of poverty than rural inhabitants (Akinyode, 1998). Nigeria is ranked as one of the countries with high slum prevalence. The proliferation of shanty dwellings, squatter settlements and slums in most of our cities in Nigeria including the cross rivers state which is the being focused on in this study. However, it has been asserted that the presence of slum increase the rate of crime in the area thereby affecting the value of the residential property (Omole, 2010). The prevalence of slum in Nigeria has significantly affected the value of residential properties in the affected areas. This value is determined by the prices of the residential property or by the value of rent per a period time that is collected on them. However, the researcher will find out the impact of slum on the value of residential property in Nigeria.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The process of urbanization which means specific changes in the distribution and structure of population as well as in a size and character of a settlement, their network or system, has many sided relationship with slums formation. The rapid rate of urbanization witnessed in the last century has produced more slums in the major cities of the world, particularly in developing countries where thousands of rural people move into the major cities at large proportion. Presence have slum is believed to have been a major cause of organized crime in the society. The researcher will investigate the impact of slum on the value of residential properties in Nigeria.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to assess the Housing Condition and Socioeconomic Lifestyle of Slum Dwellers in Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the assessment of House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District.
- To identify the causes of slum formation in Warri-South District.
- To examine the relationship between slum formation and House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What are the House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District?
- What are the causes of slum formation in Warri-South District?
- What is the relationship between slum formation and House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Formation of slum does not have House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District.
- H1: Formation of slum does have House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is no significant relationship between slum formation and House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District
- H1: There is a significant relationship between slum formation and House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District
1.7 Significance of Study
This study will educate stakeholders in housing sector, urban and regional planning and estate management of the causes and characteristics of slum and its effect on the rent and price which are the determinant of the value of those residential properties on House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers in Warri-South District.
This research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if applied, it will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic.
1.8 Scope of Study
This study on the assessment of the House condition and socio economic lifestyles of slum dwellers will cover the formation of slum in Warri-South District and its effect on house rent, land rent, land purchase, security etc.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Urbanization: refers to specific changes in the structure and distribution of urban population as well as in size and character of a settlement
Slum: a squalid and overcrowded urban street or district inhabited by very poor people
Housing: any building or construction which is mainly built to serve a single household or family for residential purpose (Aina, 2005).
Affordable Housing: adequate in quality and location and does not cost so much that it prohibits its occupants meeting other basic living costs or threatens their enjoyment of basic human rights. (UN-Habitat 2011)
Low-cost Housing: Housing may granted with low financial expend to afford living condition
Local materials: Materials that is available and easily accessed locally with low cost
Household: It is an arrangement made by persons, individually or in groups for providing themselves with food and other essentials of living (UNCHS, 2011.).
Household income: The total income from all sources of all household members (Manderec, 2010.).
