Challenges of Basic Infrastructural Provision to Building Sustainable Peri-urban Communities in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

The desire of goal 11 of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is geared towards making cities inclusive, safe, resilience and sustainable. However, rapid urbanization of Jos metropolis has led to overflow of its population into peri-urban areas. These areas are swamped by low and medium income groups for housing developments resulting in spatial growth characterized by poor and lack of basic infrastructure that residents are forced to live without, thus, threatening the attainment of SDGs vision. This study exposes the adequacy and condition of basic infrastructure for effective recommendation aimed at building sustainable peri-urban communities in four systematically selected peri-urban communities with respondents (household) randomly selected. On the adequacy of basic infrastructures, 65% said roads, 87% water supplies, 80% electricity supplies, 97% waste collection system, 51% security, 93% safety against fire, 61% health care facilities, 32% market, and 13% schools were inadequate, in general terms, basic infrastructures are inadequate as attested by majority. On the condition of basic infrastructures, 60% believed roads were fair, 28% poor while 12% good, 51% believed water supplies were poor, 39% fair while 10% good; 41% said electricity supply were fair, 39% poor, while 20% good; 96% believed waste collection system was poor 3% fair while less than 1% good; 45% believed condition of markets was good, 33% fair, while about 23% poor; 44% believed security was fair 36% good while 20% poor; 73% believed safety against fire was fair, about 22% poor, while 5% good; 72% said condition of primary health care clinics was fair, 25% poor while 3% good. It was concluded that, provision of basic infrastructure in peri-urban areas is vital, apart from environmental and social impacts, it is needed to building sustainable communities that the world strives to achieve through various international commitments for present and future generation. Amongst others, the paper recommended that, provision of infrastructures should be made a priority of all city managers that are keen in building sustainable communities through creating enabling environment to attract investors.