THE CHALLENGE OF LAND ACCESSIBILITY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AKURE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the challenges of land accessibility for affordable housing in Akure, Nigeria. Survey design method was used via structured questionnaire to obtain data from residents of the observable zones (core, transition and periphery) of Akure. The sampled area for the study include: Isolo and Arakale from the core zone, Aule and Oluwatuyi from the transition zone, while Ipinsa and Adofure were selected from the periphery zone. A reconnaissance survey was carried out to ascertain the number of buildings in the sampled areas. For the field survey, primary data on socio economic characteristics of respondents, the challenge of land accessibility and its effect on affordable housing were obtained from household-heads of the sampled area; also, the challenge of post land acquisition was considered. The study revealed empirically that majority of people residing in Akure is low and middle-income earners. Findings revealed that issues like availability and affordability, tenure of security, land price speculation and location were the principal constraints affecting land acquisition and accessibility. It was equally observed that lands in the core are not readily available and where available they are not affordable to the common-man on the street due to high market value. Therefore, the study recommends that the anomalies in part V, section 23 of Land Use Act (1978) that made the registration of land titles cumbersome should be amended. The study also prescribes the intervention of state government in controlling the cost of land in Akure through enactment of law and formulation of policies on price control. Government should regulate the high cost of land by ensuring equitable marginal distribution of land in Akure.