ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URBAN BLIGHT AND HOUSING QUALITY IN SELECTED AREAS OF MINNA

Abstract

The study assessed the relationship between urban blight and housing quality in selected areas of Minna, Niger State. The specific objectives of the study include examination of housing condition in the study area, the causes of urban blight on one hand and its relationship with housing quality in Minna on the other. The study employed both primary and secondary data with the aid of questionnaires. A total of 399 households were systematically selected across five communities in the study area based on the proportion of the estimated household population. The data collected were subjected to analysis using descriptive statistics, frequencies, percentages and regression analysis was employed to test the relationship between the dependent variable (housing quality) and the independent variable (blight). The result revealed that high incidences of rural-urban and urban-urban migration, poverty, lack of maintenance and poor enforcement of planning laws are the most significant factors responsible for the emergence of urban blight and poor housing quality in the study area. The results on high incidences of rural or urban– urban migration was (MS =3.86) while lack of maintenance/inadequate infrastructure was (MS =3.86) in the analysis. Eviction and poor resettlement programme by the government (Ms = 3.55) was considered to be the least important cause of urban blight. Building structure, building components, aesthetics, accessibility, open space, material used, toilet, kitchen, and bathroom were used as predictors (independent variables). The result showed that much of the variance in the dependent variable is explained by the regression model with Multiple R = 0.620, Adjusted R Square = 0.400 and the R Square value of 0.445. This implies that the regression model used explains about 44.5% of the variance in housing quality. The result (F=82.61 P=0.00) also implies that the relationship between urban blight and housing quality is statistically significant at P<0.05. The research recommends maintenance and provision or improvement of infrastructural facilities, implementation and enforcement of planning laws so as to guide development and also improve the quality of housing in order to reduce urban blight.