Housing Poverty amid Abundance in Urbanizing Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria (Published)
Despite the abundance of housing estates within the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, it is particularly disturbing and ironical that the city is still rated as one of the most expensive place for housing accommodation. This has contributed in domestic poverty, lack of good homes, in which; majority of public servants and private employees does not have decent accommodations. In addition, many families are separated between States, therefore aiding corruption in their respective offices to meet up with their respective needs. The purpose of this paper is to identify the causes of un-occupied buildings amid inadequacy of housing for the poor and its effects on the city and to establish the possible data of empty flats within the city in other to aid policy directions concerning empty houses and flats in the Abuja metropolis. Data were gathered from assessment of scantly occupied and completely un-occupied housing flats within Abuja metropolis through a case study research approach which is appropriate when you are to learn the why and how a particular situation occurs according to Yin (2003). From the tabulation and percentage analysis it shows that a total of 21,239 empty flats are available un-occupied in Abuja metropolis. This study advocate a regulatory control on empty buildings in Abuja Metropolis in form of the following recommendations; that all empty houses should be converted to social housing development, Government should place heavy tax on empty houses; Government should establish an ACT for rental control and occupancy in Abuja Metropolis.
Keywords: Abuja, Abundance, Housing, Poverty, Urban
The Nexus between Land Administration System and Land Market Development in Delta State, Nigeria (Published)
One of the most daunting challenges of urban dwellers today in developing nations is how to promote balance land use that will reduce conflict, abuse, misuse and chaotic location of activities, hence the need for effective land administration system. This study examines the relationship between land administration system and land market development. Using Delta state as a case study, the study adopted a survey research design using a well-structured questionnaire to elicit information from 277 respondents comprising of estate surveyors and Valuers, estate agents/developers and land officers in Asaba, Warri, Sapele and Ughelli in Delta state. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis with the aid of Statistical package for social science version 21.0. The findings revealed that there is significant relationship between land administration system and land market development in Delta state. It is evident that land administration and land market in the study areas is fraught with various challenges such as market and technical, administrative, cost and legal, financial and bureaucratic challenges. It was also discovered that the identified requirements for effective land administration system were important and indispensable for successful land market operation. The study therefore recommends that the existing policy on land administration should be evaluated to enhance the overall performance of the land administration system in the state; there should the regular updating the land base transaction records to prevent multiple ownership of a parcel; actors in land market should simplify the procedures of transferring land rights; Land transactions should be documented and registered to avoid dispute among land owners and the buyers; government policies and regulations should be strictly enforced as these will enhance land market development in the state; a robust strategy that will ensure long-term sustainable development of an efficient LM is also required for a better and improved land administration that will further enhanced the land market in the State
Keywords: Development, Land market, Urban, land administration