PLANNING FOR RESETTLING THE HILL PEOPLE OF KOMA IN ADAMAWA STATE
PLANNING FOR RESETTLING THE HILL PEOPLE OF KOMA IN ADAMAWA STATE
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Date
1992-11
Authors
GURUMPANWA, BALISOBSO HAMZA
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Abstract
The physical living environment of the Koma people and their
Socio-Economic condition calls for planning for them. The planning for
them is to integrated them into the State development efforts, and afford
them the opportunity for them to contribute to the growth and development
of the state as well as the nation. This study is an attempt in planning
for resettling the hill people of Koma in Adamawa State. This is aimed
at finding out problems on the hills and provide some proposals and
recommendations for an appropriate resettlement scheme of the hill people
of Koma and for future resettlements in the state.
Data for the study was collected through field surveys,
questionaire administration, interviews, discussion, personal observations,
photographs, published and unpublished documents from various sources,
Newspapers and Magazines etc.
The study first examines the physical characteristic of the area
under which the people live. It was found out that the area is topographically
in accessible and also hilly hindering not only administrative accessibility but
also provision of infrastructural facilities and services. The study further
assessed the various processes adopted in resettlement schemes and determined
their successes and failures. The study examines three selected scheme
undertaking particularly in Northern part and review their successes and
failures. The three selected resettlement schemes are Gwoza, Kainji and
Shendam.
An assessment of current efforts made to resettling the Koma hill
people was carried out and it was found out that the attempt failed because
of lack of proper understanding of the various processes/approaches involve
and inappropriate planning and administration of the scheme. There was
also the problem of lack of considering the scheme as a priority programme
by the administrators, hence, frequent policy changes were carried out and
it affected the scheme as it was later abandoned.
Attempt was also made to study the Socio-Economic conditions
of the Koma hill dwellers. It was found out that the Koma people are
in accessible. For this reason they lack all basic needs. They do not have
schools, hospitals or clinics, treated drinking water and so forth. It was
also found out that they cultivate on small plots of land which are always
controlled by terracing to check soil erosion. It was also found out that
their harvest are low. The low harvest does not permit them to sale their
products for cash to purchase the vital basic needs for their well being.
They have no communication routes. The only one existing are foot paths.
The area also shows the general lack of government presence in form of
provision of these lacking infrastructural facilities despite the fact that the
people are aware that government will provide them with these facilities.
It was also found out that the Koma people believed in their gods and place
greater emphasis or their existence so much so that all the life of the Koma
man is believed to be controlled by their gods.
On the basis of these findings some proposals and recommendations
have been put forward for a successful planning for resettling the Koma
people. The proposals include alternative layout plans based on site analysis
carried out. Successful implementation of these proposals and recommendations
will benefit the Koma people. Their standard of living will improve, the
development of the area will be faster, life expectancy will improve as they
will be in contact with modern medical facilities.
These recommendation are put forward with a view to successfully
resettle the Koma hill people and other future resettlement schemes to be
carried out in the State and elsewhere in the country.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA
NOVEMBER 1992
Keywords
PLANNING,, RESETTLING,, PEOPLE,, KOMA,, ADAMAWA STATE