URBANISATION, ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN POVERTY

Over the years, professionals, private sector and government have tried to solve the problem of urbanisation by way of the provision the new housing policies since 1962 to 1992 to facilitate provision of shelter for the poor.  The housing policy of 1992 brought a dramatic change in the technology of what the development of the housing sector should look like, because it focused on housing the poor and base line income earners. Recently too, government has come up with programme for poverty alleviation strategy.  Government went further to set up modalities in motion by establishing the National Open University.  This is to enable all who value education to have access to it right from their homes and place of work, to enhance progressive solution to poverty.

However, the problem of urbanisation, environmental degradation and poverty still abound.  According to Awake (September 22, 2005) “Major Cities - such as New York, London and Tokyo – are often viewed as vital symbols of a country economic growth. As a result thousands of rural people annually flock to such ‘greener urban pastures’ mainly to seek education and employment”. In as much as urbanisation has yielded positive results on the part of individuals, the negative results are enormous especially in developing countries. This research addresses factors that have led to urbanisation, the negative effects of urbanisation on the people, the natural environment, housing sector, structures and collapse of buildings. Most importantly, this research proffers attainable solutions in the light of relentless urbanisation, environment and urban poverty.

Key Words: Building, Environment, Urbanisation, Housing, Structure.

INTRODUCTION

The beauty of the natural landscape is usually defined by beautiful trees, shrubs and waterfalls. But no matter the level of the aesthetic value of the natural scenery, it cannot be called a village, town or city because shelter and buildings are lacking. But when man begins to alter the natural scenery by way of redesigning and  erecting building structures in nature, villages, towns and cities will emerge, then the journey to urbanisation commences because inhabitants will now seek greener pastures in the city. And who holds the aces of developmental innovation? Architectural educators.  They have not only the duty but a responsibility to transform the environment into urban centers by virtue of their training and those they have trained.

Over the ages man has come to understand the term development in the light of well built up areas, good looking, and planned architectural environmental  structures. This underscore the fact that, architects and architectural educators face a big challenge of shaping the environment for human good, especially now, in the 21^st century of urban growth, or urbanisation. But what is urbanisation?   Urbanisation is a process whereby urban population grow naturally or due to migration of rural dwellers into urban centers for the purpose of education, employment, access to good housing, good water and social amenities for human comfort.

This relentless urbanisation have increased the population in most cities both in developed world and developing nations. What does the records show? According to the World Bank “each year some 12-15 million new house households regaining an equivalent number of dwellings are added to the cities of the developing world” (Awake 2005). What is the consequence of this? Turning attention to the housing sector, since no enough housing and employment to satisfy the need of these immigrants from rural areas to urban areas, level of urban poverty rises and in turn, these urban poor are forced to find shelter in where they can, overcrowding with relatives and neighbours in make shift dwellings, agricultural buildings, or construction sites, under fly-overs e.g. Lagos.  Although, considering Nigeria as a case study what has been done?

This research, has examined the following areas and proffer possible and attainable solutions.

-          Urbanisation and the Housing Sector

-          Urbanisation and Economic Stagnation/Urban Poverty

-          Urbanisation and Environmental Degradation

-          Urbanisation and Unsafe Illegal Structures 

-          Urbanisation and Collapse of Buildings

-          Solution to Urbanisation

-          Recommendations and Conclusion

 defining the word development, because development is a key word in the vocabulary of educators in any field of any discipline especially in the light of this conference theme.  What is development? Development is the art and science of improving the human resource and the environment resource either theoretically or practically for the good of humanity. Why is it of significance to educators? First and foremost, educators at whatever level and whichever profession has not only a duty but also a responsibility to educate and enlighten the masses in order to attune the human mind towards positive and achievable goals. Architectural educators holds the aces of leadership by virtue of architectural profession to enlighten, educate and attune both the intellectual community and the general public on the need and significance of livable and habitable environment.

The researcher wants to state clearly and unequivocally from the onset that, the pivot of any research in whatever field of discipline is to achieve sustainable development for the good of humanity.  Sustainable development centres on provision of good housing and protection of the natural environment to sustain life or the ecosystem. The fundamental reason cannot be divulged from the fact that advancement in science and technology can only be possible when the people which include the researchers and educators have comfortable habitat, or affordable and livable environment.  It should be recalled, even the research including any activity for human progress need a functional shelter where the experiments have to be carried out.  Quality housing is an evidence of technological progress and development.

Based on the above, this research has examined the Housing sector and the environment both theoretically and practically using architecture as a tool to proffer solution. The research has also proffer solution to urban poverty and proposed reasonable provision of employment facilities for the urban poor. And this is what defines the philosophy of this Research.