COMBATING THE CHALLENGES OF URBANIZATION AND URBAN INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASARAWA STATE

Abstract

Abstract Cities have experienced dramatic growth as a result of rapid urbanization, globally. This study examined urbanization and the pattern of infrastructural development in Karu local government area of Nasarawa state. While cities in Nigeria as well as other parts of the world are becoming dominant as both centres of production and consumption, the rapid growth of Nigeria cities have seriously outstripped the capacity of most cities to provide and maintain adequate basic services to their residents as this increasing rate does not correspond with infrastructural provision and maintenance of existing infrastructure. This has necessitated undue pressure and challenges on urban infrastructure. The study adopted a survey research design and cluster sampling was used to select respondents from Mararaba, Ado and Masaka in Karu Local Government Area. The questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were the statistical tools used for the analysis. The descriptive statistics involved the use of frequency and simple percentages while the inferential statistics involved the use of Gamma and Z scores which show the direction and strength of relationships between variables in the study and the test of significance. Two hypotheses were tested by this study. The result shows a strong and positive relationship between urban population and social infrastructure. The study also revealed that housing and social infrastructure like road networks, and healthcare facilities among others are grossly inadequate. In contrast, the available ones are in deplorable and bad conditions due to urbanization. The study concluded that urbanization and population growth within urban areas hurt the environment, the available infrastructure and the residents of Karu local government area of Nasarawa state. The study recommended that the state government should enforce proper planning and development control policy in the area and effectively implement infrastructural development to ameliorate the challenges confronting the area as a result of urbanization and population growth.