The Need for the Effective Development Control in a New Ste Capital - A Case Study of Awka Capital of Anambra State

Abstract

The indiscriminate location of land uses, rapid and uncontrolled development in urban/rural areas as well as the old and new state capitals in Nigeria have resulted in urban slums, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, blight, obsolescence and overcrowding. Worst still, little or no attention is paid to their orderly growth and the demand they make on the limited land resources. Awka Capital Territory (the study area) as a new site for the New Anambra State Capital is also affected with the following development control problems: urban slums, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, blight, obsolescence and overcrowding.

This research therefore, investigates the need for effective development control measures in Awka Capital Territory of Anambra State. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated in order to facilitate the study. The research questions sought to find solution to the problems of effective development control measures in Awka Capital Territory. Two hypotheses were used to test the relationships among the following variables: contraventions (illegal developments), official government allocations and open space/ recreational space preferences by households in the Territory.A representative sample of 15 out of 25 towns that constitute the Awka Capital Territory were selected for the study. Some 800 questionnaires were distributed in these towns based on the proportions of their population to that of the entire study area. Records on allocations and contraventions were obtained from relevant planning agencies in the area. The chi-square and multiple linear regression (M.L.R) techniques were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings from the first hypothesis indicate that significant relationship exists between percentages of official residential allocations and percentage contraventions in

the Awka-Amawbia urban core. Here, X2 calculated (1.46%) i.e the outcome value of observed and expected frequencies, is more than the significant value (0.078 %) obtained from the table.

Moreover, there is a fairly positive relationship between the percentage of all households (Yl), and percentages of non-residential developments in the residential areas (X1), and the percentages of households that had considerations for open space/recreational facilities (X2). The analysis gave coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.55. The computed P value was 6.83, which is greater than the critical value of 3.98 at 5 percent significant level. There is significant relationship between the percentages of all households and percentages of non-residential developments in the residential areas.However, there is no significant relationship between the percentages of all holds and percentages of households that had considerations for open 1recreational facilities awareness in the area. This showed non-consideration of facilities by residents before locating their residences.

The major implication of this study is the need for an effective development 31 measures which will ensure an optimal physical development of not only the new capitals, but also other urban and rural areas of Nigeria.