ASSESSMENT OF HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN KUBWA, BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research focuses on assessment of housing and environmental quality in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of Abuja, with a view to making recommendations for improving the living condition of the area. Using Systematic sampling technique, data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaires, observations, interviews and field photograph. The primary data relating to housing and environmental quality were obtained by means of structured questionnaire. Techniques for data analysis involved descriptive analysis that includes the use of frequency and percentage tables, pie charts and bar charts that were used to analysed socio-economic characteristics of the respondents such as gender, literacy level and income distribution among others. Also, inferential analysis adopted include chi-square (X2) and multiple regression for testing and analyzing the hypothesis and multiple correlation was also used to established a relationship among housing and environmental quality, income and educational status of the residents. Results of the study showed that the houses were in moderate condition. Analysis of data shows that a large proportion of infrastructure are in deplorable condition with an index of 1.77 and building elements rated to be fair with an index of 3.01, measured on a 5-point scale The test of correlation between housing and environmental quality income and educational status of the people shows that income and education correlates negatively with housing and environmental quality with significance level at (r = -.676** p< .001), there exist negative relationship among housing and environmental quality attributes and respondents’ socio-economic attributes of the study area. The implication of this is that the less the income, the less the quality and standard of housing quality that can be assessed. Therefore, housing and environmental quality is influenced by respondents’ socio-economic attributes in the study area. The study concludes that houses in Kubwa and the general environment are in deplorable and degenerating condition. It is recommended that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) should improve and ensure continuous monitoring of refuse collection in order to reduce indiscriminate disposal of waste in the area for effective and sustainable management of housing environment. The study further suggests that there is need to increase community sensitization and capacity building regarding the construction of houses, quality of construction and building defects to help the dwellers to understand the risks related to building safety and maintenance.