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UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ENUGU CAMPUS
SCHOOL OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
AFFORDABLE AND LIVEABLE HOUSING IN EZUHU NGURU,
IN ABOH MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IMO STATE
a term paper presented in the fulfillment of the course: research methods (Arct. 581)
by
ONWUJI, R. C
PG/MSC/02/36668
LECTURER: ARC. OSEFOH, F.
DECEMBER 2004
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AFFORDABLE AND LIVEABLE HOUSING IN EZUHU NGURU,
IN ABOH MBAISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IMO STATE
DEDICATION
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This work is dedicated to my parents who have been supportive to me throughout my
career and to those in my village; Ezuhu Nguru who need an improvement in their living
condition.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will like to acknowledge the help and support of the following:-
My parents for seeing me through my career
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My Lecturer in charge Arc Osefoh for this research topic as housing is a posing
problem that should have solutions in our country.
Those that made it possible for me to have access to the data needed for this
research.
Thanks, I appreciate you all!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1DEDICATION-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT------------------------------------------------------------------------3
TABLE OF CONTENTS-------------------------------------------------------------------------4
CHAPTER ONE:
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INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM------------------------------------------------------------6
1.2 AIM---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
1.3 SCOPE OF PROJECT---------------------------------------------------------------------7
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY----------------------------------------------------------7
CHAPTER TWO:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NIGERIA--------------------------------------------------------
8
2.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN
NIGERIA----------------------9
2.2 CONSTRAINS AGAINST HOUSING DEVELOPMEMT-----------------------------
10
2.3 HOUSING POLICY---------------------------------------------------------------------13
2.4 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OFFICIAL HOUSING POLICIES INNIGERIA--16
2.5 THE NEED FOR NEW POLICY APPROACHES---------------------------------------
17
2.6 PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANIZED LOW-COSTTECHNOLOGY AND MASS
HOUSING-----------------------------------------------------------------19
CHAPTER THREE:
3.0 POPULATION AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE------------------------------------------203.1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS--------------------------------------------
21
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 CASE STUDIES--------------------------------------------------------------------------26
4.01 ALADIMMA HOUSING ESTATE-----------------------------------------------------264.02 LOW COST HOUSING IN MEXICO--------------------------------------------------26
4.1 RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPOSALS-------------------------------------------
27
4.3 FIRE PROTECTION AND SAFETY----------------------------------------------------
31
CONCLUSIONS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------32
BIBLIOGRAPHY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------33
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continuing national programme emanating from a well-articulated housing policy. We
also know that mass housing has been continually embarked upon to adequately provide
shelter for the labour force which oils the wheel of economic development of a nation.
Nigerian governments since independence in 1960 have pursued various housing
policies, yet housing poverty remains unabated. Recently, billions of naira was spent to
build more houses. Some non-governmental organizations have also done a lot to
improve the situation. The Women Economic Empowerment Action (WEEMA), an NGO
helped women (and men) from low-income backgrounds to realise their potential and
contribute meaningfully to society. WEEMA helped to create awareness about housing
issues in Nigeria. The WEEMA project was informed by the thinking that local women
and youths can be trained in brick-making with the objectives of creating job and income.
Besides, knowledge of how they can build with brick made from locally available
materials can be enhanced. Research shows that a savings of not less than 25% can be
achieved from the use of bricks rather than conventional housing construction. In this
new millennium, we cannot afford to remain in the dark. We must follow the rest of the
world and take steps to provide shelter for the masses, the poor and low-income earners
in Nigeria.
Unless the Governments in Nigeria take housing problem seriously, and give mass
Housing the attention it deserves by positive planning and elimination of all obstacles and
problems to effective housing delivery, Nigeria may never be able in the foreseeable
future to provide adequate shelter for the masses that constitute her labour force.
1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
in spite of the fact that Nigeria is blessed by God with abundant mineral resources, vast
land, and a man power development that could stand us out as equal among the comity of
nations in the world, Nigeria's housing problems have remained endemic and most of our
people still live in houses which a United Nations Housing Expert, Charles Abrams,
described as "an affront to human dignity. Finding affordable housing has been a big
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problem.
It has become increasingly glaring that most of the urban population live in
dehumanizing housing environment while those that have access to average housing do
so at abnormal cost. According to Onibokun (1986), Nubi (1991), rent in major cities of
Nigeria is about 60% of an average workers disposable income. This is far higher than
the 30% recommended by United Nations.Every year the price to rent a single apartment
rises. The landlords have to keep raising the cost in order to pay the taxes and mortgage
that are imposed to them. Failing to meet their obligations will result in the lost of their
building. People in necessity can not rent these apartments because they do not have a
good income.
1.2 AIM
The aim of this research is to seek ways of improving the housing conditions architecturally so
that every Nigerian can live on what he can afford This will be achieved by making an
economical design considering cost of building materials and methods of construction.
1.3 SCOPE OF PROJECT
In this project, emphasis will be on the designing livable and affordable residential units
with available local building materials using modern technology to meet the middle
income level strata. These dwelling units should be bungalows. It is not only geared at
changing the developmental pattern, but also an improvement of the appearance of the
environment.
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The methodology employed for this research was the survey technique. It aimed at
determining prevailing or existing conditions of the houses and the built environment.
Data gathered through, books, oral interviews and personal observations were statistically
manipulated and analyzed.
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CHAPTER TWO
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.0 AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NIGERIA
The term affordable housing might mean different things to different people. For
instance, in a developed country, USA, housing can be considered affordable for a low or
moderate-income earner if that household can acquire use of that housing unit (owned or
rented) for an amount up to 30 percent of its household income [Miles et al, 2000].
Mortgage lenders also use this standard as one important criterion in qualifying buyers of
market-rate housing for mortgage loans. In developing countries, only up to 20% of the
population who in actual fact constitute the higher income earners would be able to afford
such housing units.
Scottish Planning Policy 3 defines affordable housing in its broadest sense as:
housing of a reasonable quality that is affordable to people on modest incomes. In
some places the market can provide some or all of the affordable housing that is needed,
but in other places it is necessary to make housing available at a cost below market
value, to meet an identified need.
The low-income groups in developing countries are generally unable to access the
housing market through the mortgage institutions. Housing requirements for this group
are both urban and rural based. In 1991, statistics indicated that about 70% of Nigerians
fall in this category [National Housing Policy, 1991]. This situation has not changed.
Affordable housing for the low-income group are generally developed by the informal
sector of the economy through unstructured procurement systems.
The main ways through which this is achieved are:
social rented accommodation;
low cost housing for sale, for example shared ownership, self-build or other
subsidised or discounted housing for sale; and
some private sector rented accommodation, available at lower cost than market
rents, and provided either by local landowners or commercial landlords
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2.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
Governments after Governments and their functionaries have proposed many
Development Plans for this Country. The concept of Housing has subsequently taken a
prominent position in every day saying in Nigeria in policy pronouncements and
technical discussions. Yet Nigeria remains under-developed in housing because, ethics,
accountability, and commitment, the fundamental basis for the effective implementation
of various housing programmes were decayed, if not non-existent. Nigeria witnessed
three major Housing development periods.
The Colonial or Pre-Independence Period (1914 - I960) : When housing
activities and policies of government were focussed mainly on the provision of
Quarters for the expatriate staff in what was generally called the Government
Residential Area (GRA). No real effort was made to see housing as a basic
necessity since native Nigerians were well accommodated.
The post independence period (1960-1979) : When it was generally accepted
that the five yearly development plan was the vehicle for economic growth.
Housing was relegated to the background especially, as the Federal Government
Channelled most of its resources to prosecute the Biafran War in 1967 -1970. In
1971 after the war, the National Council on Housing was established and many
Housing Corporations were also formed in various states. Although the impact on
housing was minimal, the period marked the first significant and direct attempt by
the Federal Government to intervene positively in the area of housing. It led in
1972 to the National Housing Programme where the Federal Government decreed
to construct a total of 50,000 housing units, with 15,000 units in Lagos and 4,000
in each of the eleven State Capitals.
The second civilian Administration 1973-]983 : An elaborate National Housing
Programme was embarked upon in 1980 and the target this time was on the Low-
Income earners. A total of 40,000 units were to be constructed annually nation
wide with 2,000 units located in each state. Eighty percent of these were ear
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marked for low-income earners. As usual in Nigeria, implementation became the
major problem as only 20% of the housing units projection was achieved.
In the 4th National Development plan period (1980 - 1985) the sum of #1.9 billion was
budgeted for housing by the Federal Government. During this period an estimated #600
million was expended in the implement at ion of the National Low-cost Housing scheme,
but the impact of this nation-wide on housing development was very negligible. The
housing programme became a failure for many reasons that ranged from wrong designs,
poor site selection and politics to appointment of wrong and in- experienced contractors.
Since then, housing suffered immensely in budgetary allocations.
2.2 CONSTRAINS AGAINST HOUSING DEVELOPMEMT:
There are various constrains against efficient housing development in Nigeria. The wel1
identified ones are as follows:-
The Land Factor
Finance For Housing Development
Building Material Factor
The Nigeria Factor.
The Land Factor:
Availability of land is the basis for all development and it is a. major factor in housing
development especially as its size and location is fixed. The demand for land for
development at all time outstrips its supply and its in accessibility constitutes a great
obstacle to development for both public and private sectors of the economy. Due to the
complex and confusing land tenure systems in Nigeria and the need for land to be made
easily available for development, the Land Used Decree was promulgated in 1978. The
Decree had the best of intentions for all Nigerians, but its interpretation and
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implementation became a problem.
One of its objectives was to make land "easily available to individuals, corporate
bodies, Institutions and Government" but because of greed, inordinate ambitions, and
corruption, the process of land acquisition became very difficult for effective housing
delivery. Unless land is first made available other factors of development will become
irrelevant.
The protracted delays in the processing and issuing Certificate of Occupancy by
Government, coupled with varying and exorbitant fees charged by various Governments,
makes availability of land very difficult. Unless the Decree is abrogated or amended to
cure it of its many deficiencies, the problem of availability of land for housing
development will certainly remain with us.
Finance for Housing Development
Basic to any development is finance. Of all the problems of housing development in
Nigeria, the problem of finance is very critical and decisive. The best programmes of any
Government, no matter how grand and viable in scope and content will remain a day
dream, unless there is sufficient capital to concretise it. Despite various pronouncements,
regulations and de-regulations, and all financial implementation policies of this country,
the issue of accessing sufficient funds for an effective housing delivery system remain
perpetually unsolved. At the very root of this problem is the undeniable fact that the
Nigerian Capital Market is undeveloped and appears to Lack expertise, the experience
and the modalities to provide the needed funds for investing on mass housing delivery.
The Building Materials Factor
One major problem that has constituted a wedge to the wheels of effective solution to
housing delivery is the cost of building materials. It has generally been estimated that
building materials and components constitute 50 to 60% of the total cost of construction
input. But in Nigeria this cost is put at 75% because of the added effects of factors like
inadequate infrastructural facilities like bad roads, which contribute to increase the cost
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of delivery of building materials.
As a result of the difficulties in delivery, demand shoots up above supply and prices as
a rule tend to increase. Most developers, both individuals and corporate bodies have been
forced to use imported materials because of unavailability of generally accepted local
materials that can stand the test of time both in quality and aesthetic finish.
Prior to the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) about 70% or more of the
nation's building materials requirements were imported and this constituted about 15% of
the country's import bill. This act of massive importation raises the cost of construction as
the costs of shipping and charges are transfered to the builder. Although Government has
encouraged the development of appropriate technology to facilitate production and use of
local building materials, Government itself has not done much to promote the use of
these local building materials. Can we not encourage good Research into the production
of sensitive building materials peculiar to this Country? Until we can do this, the cost of
building materials will remain a problem seeking for our solution.
The Nigerian Factor
It is difficult to ignore what has become known as the Nigerian Factor when one
seriously looks at the root causes of most problems in Nigeria in virtually all sectors of
our National development. The contemporary Nigeria policy of today has grown into an
amalgamation of moral decay, dishonesty, indiscipline, greed and a flagrant disregard for
Law and Order. Mr. Noble Hemuka in his lecture titled "Affordable Mass Housing
Development - Problems and Solutions on 26th October, 2000, defined The Nigerian
factor as follows: - "Our Country has gone down, the ladder of misfortune from the hey
days of colonial rule when every thing worked like magic, to this day when nothing
works, and Nigerians accept suffering as a way of life. The Nigerian Factor is that
faceless monster that has installmentally eaten deep into the fabric of our national psyche,
and as a deadly cancer, it has spread its tentacles into every sector of our national
economy, so much so that the country is bleeding helplessly to death at each turn of
events.
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It manifests in the way contractors collect money and do not perform, because they
know nothing will happen to them and nothing actually happens to them. In the same way
NEPA and NITEL ensure that energy and communication that form the foundation of
global economic wellbeing is denied Nigerians with impunity, the way responsibleNigerians steal and loot the National Treasury without shame, the way students, workers
and the Institutions hold authorities to ransom with ceaseless strikes, the way elected
representatives of the people whose main mandate is legislation, decide to convert the
National Assembly into an arena for selfish aggrandizement and un-necessary power
tussles . The human factor as defined by Mr. Hemuka in the year 2000 is still the same
today.
The effect of all these is the creation of an environment where frustration has taken
over hope from the masses and desire for quick money has taken over moral values and
how much you have has also become the index for social status. The truth is that so long
as no decisive steps are taken to curb this, we may never be able to solve most of our
problems, including providing adequate shelter for the teeming masses in Nigeria.
2.3 HOUSING POLICY
The deplorable urban housing situation has long been a major concern of the Federal and
state government. Such responses include the five-yearly economic and development
plan periods embanked upon after independent. The first three periods up to 1975 saw
varied but very significant attempts by the state in housing provision. Various bodies
were formed and certain policies enacted but to little impact. It was the third National
Development plan of 1975-1980 that introduced the most comprehensive and active
intervention by the government. The plan aimed at in creasing the housing supply to a
substantial degree. Specific measures taken were as follows:
The creation of a specific ministry of housing, urban development and
environment.
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The formation of the federal housing authority.
The establishment of the federal mortgage bank of Nigeria to replace the Nigeria
building society.
The government decided to subsidies the housing cost of low-income groups by directly
constructing housing units. It also took specific measure to minimize bottlenecks in the
construction industry, such as investment in the domestic production of cement and burnt
bricks while also importing other building materials.
Housing and urban development issues formed as much as 12% of expected expenditure
under the plan period. There was a planned target of 202,000 dwelling units comprising
8,000 units in each of the 19 states and 50,000 in Lagos, the capital. State governments
were to launch their own housing g programmers each providing the infrastructure. With
the establishment of a civilian government in 1979, a new plan on housing was
announced. There was a target of 200,000 dwelling units to be provided annually by both
public and private sector effort. The Federal Government itself undertook to build 2,000
dwelling units in each of the 19 states of the country with another 2,000 in the designated
new Capital Territory, Abuja. This latest programme was subjected to political abuse and
shoddy workmanship in the main.
The more serious and somewhat unpardonable error was the repetition of the
increasing the housing supply to a substantial degree; 4,000 units with the federal housing
authority supplying same house type throughout the whole country in spite of climatic
and socio-cultural differences that are bound to prevail. To date over 24 years of the
completion of the project, well over 50% are not in use either through lack of basic
infrastructure of access roads, water and electricity. Naturally most of such houses have
deteriorated or been vandalized. They are sad legacies dotted all over the country.
Governments are often involved in direct provision of large scale housing to members
of the public or its employees. There are a wide variety of housing schemes differing in
size, complexity and location. The following public housing schemes in Nigeria
illustrates the diversity of such schemes:
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Bwari Resettlement Scheme
The development comprises units of single room brick hits with thatched roof
located on previously undeveloped site devoid of any infrastructure. Water supplyto the scheme is through a single borehole with hand pump. Pit latrines were
provided for individual houses screened by thatched fence while cooking was to
be carried out in open air. Access to the scheme is through unpaved earth road
network. The scheme was provided for the Indigenous inhabitants of the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja as part of the relocation process. The main objective of
the scheme is to provide facilities that represent the cultural expectations of the
displaced persons as closely as possible.
Lagos State Government Housing Schemes
The Lagos State Government had executed several housing schemes in the past,
all of different scale and complexity. The schemes provide housing for various
levels of the social strata, from low cost to high income depending on size,
location, quality of finishes and extent of infrastructure development. Some of the
schemes provide only the building frame or carcass for the buyer to complete the
rest to his taste.
FHA Housing Scheme, Gwarimpa
This is a complete new town development in the suburbs of the Abuja, complete
with infrastructure, religious and social facilities. It is a mixed, commercially
oriented housing scheme. Prototype units include bungalows, block of flats,
duplexes and various grades of stand alone houses. Prospective buyers of the
housing contributed to financing of the project by making deposits for the housing
in advance.
Federal Government 1004 Flats Housing Scheme, Lagos
This is one of the largest public housing schemes in Nigeria and has some peculiar
properties such as:
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(a) A mixture of high-rise and medium rise block of flats, of relatively complex
construction, including lifts.
(b) Propriety construction methods used, system buildings, most of the
components are imported into the country.(c) Integrated infrastructure, including road network, alternative water supply
(borehole and water treatment plant) and standby generators.
2.4 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OFFICIAL HOUSING POLICIES IN
NIGERIA:
The mass housing programmed of the Federal and State Governments were conceived
with good intention but unfortunately the formulator of the policy did not spell out the
direction, neither did they take into consideration the amount to be involved. One of the
slogans was housing for all Nigerians. At the inception of the policy, ordinarily the
statement might have assumed that all families in Nigeria would be provided with
adequate housing regardless of who needed one.
There was no data to show the housing stock in any of our various towns and state
capitals. The objective of the Federal Government mass housing programmed amongothers was to reduce housing need with the view to making housing available to all at
affordable prices. The executors of this policy over-politicized the whole issue to the
extent that they made nonsense of the programmed. Land was not made available in some
state and where they were, they were too far from existing infrastructure like road, water
and electricity.
There were no master plan and money for infrastructure in these new locations. The
socio-cultural behaviors of the people were not considered at the design stage. The
houses were designed to grow with the household income but this idea was not
considered during the execution of the project. A substantial percentage of the housing
stock are still not occupied up till the present moment, and have been vandalized,
therefore government money has been wasted, and can never be recovered.
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2.5 THE NEED FOR NEW POLICY APPROACHES
Mass housing and low-cost technology application:
The post-independent plan has such ambitious target under the peculiar
circumstances of the country it was no surprise that not more than 25% of the
target was achieved. In realization of past failures, government has began less
ambitious and more pragmatic programmes.
Site and services:
There are some sites and services project in the country where individual will be
left to develop plots after government had provided the layout and basic amenities
like road, water, sewerage and electricity. Individual with assured income could
then build more economically houses constructed in conformity with officially set
standards helped by government-sponsored and organized loan schemes; this
would be much cheaper, quicker and socially more beneficial.
Community-based production housing or self-built housing:
Zubairu noted the importance of community-] based production of housing or
self-built housing which have been used in some developing countries where 50%
of the existing housing stock has been built by owner-occupiers. Potential house-
builders will however have to be properly trained and supervised by building
professionals to ensure that the structure is safe and healthy for human habitation.
Upgrading squatter settlement:
Where the squatter settlements are designated for residential purposes, then the
government should ensure that the buildings are structurally sound and then to
provide the necessary infrastructure services for the area.
Establishment of building materials and cooperative societies:
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These building material co-operatives would be like the existing ones which will
be giving loans to their members on their laid down rules and regulation. The
building material co-operative society on other hand will be mainly to buy
building material directly from the manufacturers and give as loan to theirmembers. They could also sell these materials in the open market to make more
profit for the society
Low-cost technology:
The low-cost technology is the one which can utilize the abundant local raw
materials and labor and respond favorably to the nations level of technological
and socio-economic development. Cheap and affordable building materials which
can compete favorably in the international market are to be produced so as to
enhance mass housing and also earn the country more dollars.
The required low-cost technology and local materials:
After more than a quarter of a century of political independent although there is a
scattered examples here and there, Nigerians are right in asking for a purposeful and
widespread evidence of indigenous character in our modern architecture. By the
intrinsic quality of our designs, by the use of locally available building materials, by
the evolution and promotion of simple and appropriate construction technology
especially for use in our country, the importance of low-cost technology and mass
participation cannot be over-emphasized.
The required low cost technology should have low energy consumption and also be
portable and easy to master by unskilled labor. They should be technology already
available to a particular locality or region of the country that is cheap, affordable and
can be improved upon for construction through research.
There are many traditional building materials available everywhere in the country.
New ways of protecting them and elongating their life span have already been found,
but there is not enough financial capacity for individual to venture into their uses.
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Government can ensure this by soft loan through the National Housing Fund and the
money can be paid back over a period of 25-30 years.
2.6 PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANIZED LOW-COST
TECHNOLOGY AND MASS HOUSING:
For the low-cost technology and mass-housing to have the desired impact, The following
guidelines propose by Okusanya , are necessary:
In the face of a population explosion that put tremendous demands on limited
resources the challenge is in providing housing which retains the features and
amenities of the single family house at high densities through standardization of
materials and mass-production methods. The objective is in the reduction of waste
through efficiency of means resulting in maximization of productivity with its
inherent reduction in cost and availability of descent housing for everyone.
We should provide housing that would never need to be demolished, which their
owners will take delight in upgrading as their means improve and which they
would be proud to pass on to their children: housing which will promote stable
community.
In pursuit of this, we have to develop housing form that is a sensitive
interpretation of the needs and aspiration of the nation and to achieve this in
eloquent architectural statement for how we live will affect how we feel about
ourselves. And how we feel about ourselves will affect our collective psyche and
hence our collective will as a nation.
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CHAPTER THREE
3.0 POPULATION AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Nigerias population has experienced a considerable growth rate in the past two decades.
Although exact figures cannot be obtained due to doubtful census results in 1973, an
average natural rate of 3% per annum is assumed. At the same time as economic activity
has gravitated from rural areas to urban areas, migration has led to a number of problems
in overcrowded cities
In Imo state, population density is very high even in rural areas, job opportunities
expected to be better in the towns have attracted an increasing labour force to the main
centre, Owerri of which the current population estimates is 105, 000 for Owerri (47.6%
female).
The 1963 population census accredited Ezuhu Nguru with a population of about 1002
persons. It has a population structure as shown below:
AGE RANGE PERCENTAGE
0 14 30 .5115 60 28 .47
61 above 41 .02
Source: Imo State population estimate, 1986 by local govt. Areas
Most of the working population are self employed, except school teachers. They are
mainly wine tappers, traders, farmers, craftsmen. Presently, the population has grown but
people of the age range 15 60 are on the decrease as there is rural- urban drift due towhite collar jobs in the urban areas.
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3.1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
Age range of the household members
Age is one of the most important factors for proposing an affordable and liveable
housing for people. For the purpose of the study, the age ranges of the respondents
are grouped according to age. The interval of 10 is used, as shown below: -
Source: - Owerri capital development authority
Children below the age of 25.8 % make up almost 4% of the total population. This
means that adequate provisions have to be made for the needs of this group. Thispopulation group is rather violent and this requires a lot of space both for recreational and
other purposes. Age distribution is therefore important for the design of an appropriate
affordable shelter.
AGE GROUP NUMBER
0 1 700
11 20 800
21 30 500
31 40 500
41 50 150
51 60 250
Above 61 200
Total 3,100
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Size of households
Data were also collected on the household sizes varied between 2 and 9 persons.
In most cases, the households were composed of the parents, children, dependents
and house helps. Households of sizes four to eight appear to be the most occurring
frequencies. The household size should determine the type of dwelling a
household should have. To meet a good standard, there should not be more than 2
persons per habitable room.
Marital status
This is sampled according to percentages thus: -
STATUS PERCENTAGE
Married 73%
Single 12%
Widowed 10%
Divorce 5%
Total 100%
Source: - Owerri capital development authority
From the above chart, a greater number of household heads are married. The marital
status determines the type of house that is to be required by a family.
Educational qualifications
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The educational attainment of the respondents as are given in the table bellows:
EDUCATIONAL
QUALIFICATION
PERCENTAGE
No informal education 13%
Up to primary six 65%
Up to post - primary school 17%
Higher schools of learning 5%
Total 100%
Source: - Field Survey 2004
About half of the populace is averagely educated.
Employment status
The various employments found there have been grouped as follows:
EMPLOYMENT STATUS PERCENTAGE
Self employed 50%
Civil Servants 30%
Private Organization
Employed
13%
Unemployment 7%
Total 100%
Source: -Field Survey 2004
The data shows that there is most of the working population are self employed,
except school teachers. This is an indicator that they will be able to afford the affordable
housing. Employment type bears heavily on ones income.
Income of the respondents
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The income distribution of the household heads varies from one household to
another. The income distribution data is given as follows: -
INCOME STRATA INCOME RANGE PERCENTAGE OF
PERSONS
Very low income Below 2,500 15%
Low income (Grade level 1-7) Between 7,500 15,000 50%
Middle income (Grade level 8-
14)
15,000 25,000 20%
High income (Grade level 14-
17)
Above 25, 000 15%
Total 100%
Source: - Field Survey (2005)
The range shows that the majority of the household heads are low income earners. This
could be accounted for by the fact that a greater percentage of the respondents are self
employed and businessmen. Therefore, they would require housing loans with low
interest rates, spread over a very long period of between 10 20 years.
Water Supply
One of the basic requirements in the infrastructural sector is the design and
implementation of a water supply network with individual connection to each plot.
This goal has been achieved by reducing costs of other infrastructural utilities and
keeping the capacity of the water supply network to its minimum possible design
level. The existing water supply system in Ezuhu Nguru, cannot meet the increasing
demands of the populations. This is mainly to the insufficient capacity of existing
water resources.
Electricity Supply
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To satisfy this demand, the existing network will have to be extended continually.
Also, standards will have to be considerably improved to obviate the risk of recurrent
power cuts. The standard recommended by the consultant includes low-voltage
overhead lines along all streets, leaving every plot holder the option of individualhouse connection. Furthermore, the installation of street lighting along all district
distributor roads has been proposed.
CHAPTER FOUR
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4.0 CASE STUDIES
4.01 Aladimma Housing Estate, Owerri
The Imo State Government provided these houses for basically civil servants. The site islocated along MCC Uratta Road and it is bounded in the west by Ikenegbu layout.
The scheme was a low density residential area, with only one-storyed houses. Privacy
and individuality of occupiers were perfectly achieved. It aimed at income level
integration. There are basically three house types; one-bedroom bunglow, twobedroom
bungalow with garage, three-bedroom duplex with garage.
The walls were made of sandcrete blocks and the foundation of concrete. Majority of
the exterior has brick finish while the interior is finished with emulsion paint. Roofs are
double pitched with timber trusses and covered with zinc as roofing material.
4.02 Low Cost Housing in Mexico
The house is located in a rural location with a climate characterized by large daily and
seasonal temperature swings. The construction method of the house consisted of: Walls
made of recycling plastic pet bottle panels, 240 cm height x 120 cm width, x 10 cm thick.
A basic modular net of 90 cm x 90 cm was used in the project design. The plastic pet
panels were produced based on this modular principle. Two 1 cm layers of sand-mortar
were used on each side of the walls plaster, to make a 12 cm total wall thickness. The
roof of this house was built of two layers of the same material as the walls. The house
was built by local people, trained in supervised self-construction. Women and children
participated very actively in the process, mainly in the elaboration of the recycling plastic
pet bottle panels in (Figs. 1 and 2).
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Cost analysis of construction
The construction of the house using recycling plastic pet bottle panels on walls and a roof
of hollow concrete block and concrete beams presented a 45% reduction of total cost.
The breakdown of the different cost components showed that by using local hand work to
build the panels reduction was 75% relative to conventional brick or concrete block
walls. Roof cost was 15% lower than conventional reinforced concrete roof.
Therefore, the use of innovative building materials can reduce construction costs of
typical dwellings and this can also contribute to reduce the current house deficit in
Mexico.
4.1 RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPOSALS
Materials and Cost
Building materials obviously play an important part in any consideration of housing for
low to middle- income people in developing areas. The approach to this enormous and
complex subject depends upon the objective to be attained. The point of view adopted
here is that indigenous materials either now or potentially available must de employed to
the fullest possible extent in order to keep costs down, avoid draining limited foreign
exchange, and provide employment locally. Furthermore, the construction methods
adopted should use these materials in such a way that the unskilled and semi-skilled
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labour, much of it on a self-help basis, can be used to construct the needed housing,
thereby reducing costs, providing employment, and at the same time imparting at least
some training in construction skills.
Walls
The walls are made of adobe bricks. Adobe bricks or blocks are moulded from
clay-based mixture with enough water content to produce a workable constituency
that allows the material to be formed in simple moulds. The best adobe soil will
have between 15% and 30% clay in it to bind the material together, with the rest
being mostly sand or larger aggregate. Too much clay will shrink and crack
excessively; too little will allow fragmentation. Sometimes adobe is stabilized
with a small amount of cement or asphalt emulsion added to keep it intact where it
will be subject to excessive weather. Adobe blocks can be formed either by
pouring it into moulds and allowing it to dry or it can be pressed into blocks with a
hydraulic or leverage press. Adobe can also be used for floors that have resilience
and beauty, coloured with a thin slip of clay and polished with natural oil. It is the
most cost-effective method of building low cost housing, of the very highest
standards.
Adobe bricks Left to sun dry Construction of
building with adobe bricks
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Merits
Minimum shrinkage is one of the chief advantages of adobe bricks. Shrinkage occurs in
drying, before the bricks are built into the wall. Furthermore, their uniform size permits
wall to be laid accurately. Other advantages include:-
it uses the most widely available and least expensive building material in the
world - earth
It can be produced on the construction site, which negates the need for
transporting the bricks and thereby, reduces the risk of damaging the already "paid
for" bricks.
It utilise unskilled labour to manufacture the bricks, therefore, employment is
provided for local indigenous population and costs are kept at the lowest level.
They are of a quality and finish that builders do not plaster or paint the external
walls.
A building made of adobe bricks is totally isothermic to the extent that neither the
heat nor the cold will affect the comfort of the occupants.
it produces attractive buildings of high strength and great affordability
Demerits
A major disadvantage is the double handling of the heavy material. It is first dug, mixed,
during drying and hardening, the bricks must be protected from the rain which can easily
severely damage or wash them away. Once they are dry and hard, such damage is
minimal.
Windows
The material for the windows is louvre as it is more cost effective than aluminum
sliding windows.
Doors
The doors are made of wood.
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Roofs
Zinc will be used as the roofing material .It is cost effective when compared toother roofing material s in our present time. Though it is no as durable as the other
roofing materials, the good quality ones will last longer.
4.2 HOUSE PLANNING
All rooms should be of simple and convenient shape .The rooms are self contained for
improved hygiene. Account should be taken of the main furniture and equipment each
room is to contain.
Lounge/Dining
The dining is within the lounge area. This minimizes the cost for floor finishes and
also, demarcating walls. The dining should have direct access to the kitchen to
facilitate serving of food and cleaning of dishes. There should be adequate lighting
and ventilation in this space.
Bedroom
This is one of the most private in the dwelling unit. It should be accessible to the
toilet, dining, and lounge. Indirect access should exist between or to kitchen and
outdoor. Proper ventilation is most needed. The location of doors windows and
closet should be planned to allow for best placement of the bed and other
furniture.
Kitchen
Easy access to the outside and direct access to the dinning should be considered in
the location of the kitchen. Also, the basic work space is preferably compact.
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Stored items should be visible as well as physically accessible. Adequate lighting
over all work surfaces is very important, proper ventilation is of prime importance
to the kitchen.
Bath Room
The location is relative to the bedrooms and other rooms .Facilities should be
conveniently arranged with special attention to clearance. Good ventilation is
essential for reduction of humidity. Lighting should be adequate for proper
functioning of the space
4.3 FIRE PROTECTION AND SAFETY
During fire out break, building materials may melt, burn lose strength, expand, shrink and
crack. Fire resistance is a property of elements for example: wall, column, floors beam
glazing and doors.
It is rated as the time taken to contain the fire within a compartment before spread to
other while continuing to perform structural and or separate function.
Clay products resist ire for about four (4) hours while Cement/concrete product should
resist fire for about two (2) hours. Finishes and fitting should be treated with non-
combustible finishes.
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CONCLUSIONS
The application of innovative building systems using low cost materials can be a key
factor to promote an increase of house construction in Nigeria. Furthermore, the use of
these type of materials have also some other benefits:
Reduction of environmental damage, a promising platform for creating jobs andproductive projects in poor rural regions, as well as forming the basis for generating
building examples which can be used to promote a multiple and positive effect in
Nigeria. The results of this demonstrative example can eventually be used in some other
regions of country and this can also lead to fund saving and quality living for people.
All these can be aimed at achieving a new culture in the use of energy and natural
resources for the current and new generations of the new millennium.
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Olusule, R. Urban Planning and Housing in Nigeria. New York Longman Press,
1982
Onibokun Poju Issues in Nigerian Housing Bibligraphic Review. Ibadan,
NISER, 1983
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