Evaluation of Distance Cover to Access Services/Facilities in Informal Settlements in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines distance cover to access services/facilities in informal settlements in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. Specifically, the objective of the study was to: evaluate the distance cover to access services/facilities in informal settlements in the study area. Data were collected through primary and secondary data. The study makes use of multi-stage sampling techniques involving three stages (random sampling for selecting two communities from the six area councils at the first stage, a systematic random sampling technique was used in the administration of questionnaires to the twelve randomly selected informal housing and the questionnaires were administered to each community in relation to population size. A total of 800 questionnaires were distributed, out of which 792 were return successfully. And it was analyzed using simple statistics table. The finding reveals that 46.1% of the respondents’ access schools services/facilities at the distance of 4km and above. The paper also suggested that steps be taken to improve quality of housing scheme targeting the urban poor through public housing delivery by Government and the road network in the study area is un-tarred and dilapidated, therefore the government should construct a road to reduce the long distances cover for services and facilities like, health care, schools, market, police station, bank and water and also the suffering of the people living in these informal settlements may be reduce.