Physical development control measures in Nigerian cities: an overview of contemporary issues in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

Land is the platform upon which every activity of man takes place. Especially in urban areas, man’s activities are many and they struggle for the limited available space. To curtail the rate of chaos and ensure compatibility among the various uses that land is put to, the activation of control mechanism becomes necessary. This study was undertaken to identify the various issues that come with development control in urban areas using Uyo Capital City as a case study. Data for the study were obtained from the staff of Uyo Capital City Development Authority and some identified property developers. Findings revealed the major problems of the area as: flood, erosion menace and poor solid waste management. The study highlighted the benefits of development control to include orderliness, safety, beauty and convenience. From the study also, Zoning Regulation has been found out to be the major tool used in controlling physical development in the study area. Other tools used include building code, subdivision and Environmental Impact Assessment. Major challenges faced by Uyo Capital City Development Authority in its task of controlling and managing the area are; noncompliance by property developers with building regulations, corruption and lack of effective monitoring mechanism. The study recommends that developers should always obtain approval for every building project, that charges for approval should be brought to the barest minimum and that there should be effective monitoring mechanism in place to enforce compliance with the laws.