A Reality of Quality of Life Lived! Socio-economic Impact of Selected Informal Settlements on Neighbourhood Quality in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the selected informal settlements on neighbourhood quality in the Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria, and the Quality of Life (QoL) lived by residents. The objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the residents of the selected informal settlements; identify the causes of informal settlements development in the study area; identify and assess the impact of informal settlements development on the neighbourhood quality of residents’ QoL lived; and identify physical planning measures to improve the neighbourhood quality and QoL of the selected informal settlements. The study adopted a quantitative approach and a descriptive research design. The study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques for the selection of two (2) settlements namely: Mgbushimini and Nkpor and one hundred (100) respondents were determined and sampled for the study using the Taro Yamane formula at a 10% precision level. The study found that the socio-economic characteristics of residents of the settlements are age bracket 39-48 years of adults and mostly married with an average of 4-5 persons per household. Educational qualification is mostly vocational education, employed temporary, casual and contract and engaged in trading/business and craft/technical. The development of these informal settlements is attributed to low rent, cheap land and free access to land. The buildings are permanent structures, rented apartments of rooming houses of 2-3 rooms as habitable spaces on average. The impacts are poor sanitary conditions, poor layout of buildings and a dirty environment. These conditions have made the residents rate their neighbourhood quality and QoL lived as mostly “fair”, “unsatisfied” and “very unsatisfied”. The study recommended that urban studies should be carried out on the settlements to ascertain the socio-economic characteristics of residents and where needs a priority for improvement, the government should declare the study area blighted and carry out urban renewal schemes to improve the physical, social, and economic conditions, basic urban infrastructure, facilities and services should be provided to improve residents’ access, neighbourhood quality and QoL lived.