PLANNING FOR THE URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN ABUJA CITY
PLANNING FOR THE URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN ABUJA CITY
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Date
1998-07
Authors
ZALIHA'U, AHMED
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Abstract
The menace of informal sector activities has reached an alarming
stage that is causing concern to city authorities. This is because
the sector proliferates at a very last rate. Also because of the
small capital involved in the investment, they have the tendency to
locate anywhere; along the roads, sidewalks, under trees and any
empty lot where they do not only cause traffic congestion, delays
etc. but also create nuisance by generating waste and poor methods
of waste disposal.
Various attempts have been made by authorities responsible to carve
the environmental and physical problems posed by this sector. The
solutions mostly adopted by these authorities are relocation to
areas outside the urban rim and demolition. However, these actions
do not seem to solve the problem, because the actions taken are
casual and adhoc without detailed survey and analysis of the
problems involved.
Various categories of informal sector activities were identified.
However, major categories that pose a threat to physical planning
and management were selected for this study. These are the
automechanics, electrical and electronics services, carpentry and
woodworks, metal works, retail trade, food canteens and shoe repair
services.
This study therefore, has been undertaken to offer effective
planning solutions to these problems. The study covers the first
developed districts of Abuja city (Garki, Wuse, Asokoro and
Maitama) and neighboring phase II - IV where there are pockets of
developments.
The findings of the field study include many important planning
issues, such as locational preference to traffic points, major
roads, public areas which results to traffic delays and accidents.There is occurrence of high degree of land use mixing, incompactible
uses sited together, which create nuisance, inconveniences and ugly
sight.
As a result of little space required, little capital, they locate
haphazardly, so They lack necessary utilities, facilities needed
for their operation. They use cheap and old materials for
constructing of workshops which present ugly sight. The operators
of the informal activities have law educational training and in
most cases law perception of environmental quality, thus waste
disposal methods are far from adequate planning principles and
Standards were derived from the findings, and it can serve as a
basis for subsequent imp lenient at ion of development plans, thereby
enhancing their efficiency and reducing urban management problems.
Integration of informal sector activities within the city plan,
proper spatial organisation, and appropriate locations within the
neighborhoods and districts will reduce their menace and ease
management problems.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Keywords
PLANNING,, URBAN,, INFORMAL,, SECTOR,, ABUJA,, CITY