A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF URBAN EXPANSION AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ON AWKA AND ONITSHA IN ANAMBRA STATE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Urbanization is believed to be a driving force of an economy which facilitates the transfer of surplus labour from the rural agricultural sector to the urban industrial sector and contributes to economic development. However, unplanned urbanization can at times boomerang, exerting negative impacts that not only adversely affect the economy but also stimulate environmental degradation. This study examines a Comparative Study of Urban Expansion and Its Socio-economic Impact on Awka and Onitsha in Anambra state. The objectives of this study are to examine land use and land cover change between 1988-2018; prediction of urbanization trend from 2018 to 2030; to examine the socio-economic impact of urbanization in the study area; and to identify appropriate measures for sustainability in the study area. Data used in this study were derived from Satellite images, questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, government and published sources. The method of analyses used in mapping Land Use and Land Cover involves the use of satellite images of LandsatTM of 1988, ETM of 2003 and OLI of 2018. On the basis of this finding, make a projection for the future growth by 2030 using Geospatial Techniques. Also, to ascertain the socio-economic impact of urban expansion in the area, and identifying appropriate measures for sustainability, data were collected from field survey through the administration of questionnaire and was analyzed using descriptive statistics for presentation of results in form of tables and bar-chart for pictorial view. Results indicate that in Awka, the land cover (Vegetation) reduces from 7007.58 hectares (40.98%) in 1988 to 5521.14 hectares (32.31%) in 2018 as a result increase demand for land due to increasing population. Also, the built-up area was observed to be in increasing order from 1202.76 hectares (7.03%) in 1988, 2987.19 hectares (17.47%) in 2003 and 5246.73 hectares (30.70%) in 2018. Comparatively in Onitsha, the land cover (Vegetation) reduces from 839.07 hectares (29.14%) in 1988 to 399.69 hectares (13.88%) in 2018. Also, the built-up area was observed to be in increasing order from 574.83 hectares (19.96%) in 1988 and 1199.25 hectares (41.65%) in 2018. The study also observed that the location of educational establishment in Awka is a major driving force behind the growth of the city and the market centers in Onitsha, while residential expansion of low-income earners at the periphery of the city account for the spatial expansion. The study observes that the Business District and the core areas continued to be dilapidated while the decay in infrastructural facilities worsens. The new areas were also discovered to lack portable water supply, electricity, as well as motorable roads. The study recommends regular monitoring of urban growth and its direction using integrated remote sensing and GIS approaches to determine the pattern of land use/cover as well as guide the provision of urban services and infrastructures to enable sustainability. In addition, the government should subsidize the peri-urban farmers so as to empower them in order to compete in the market and utilise its opportunities.