Assessment of Informal Sector Activities and Its Impacts on the Physical Environment of Abakiliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
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- July 5, 2024
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Agwu, Jacob Parkins
Department of Geography, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (AEFUNAI), Nigeria
Citations – APA
| Agwu, J. P. (2024). Assessment of Informal Sector Activities and Its Impacts on the Physical Environment of Abakiliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. International Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 7(2), 1-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12670595 |
| This research focused on the assessment of informal sector activities and its impacts on the physical environment of Abakiliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Objectives pursued included determining the nature, types and level of informal sector activities in Abakiliki metropolis; determining the major drivers of informal sector activities within the metropolis and analyzing the impacts of informal sector activities on the physical environment of Abakiliki metropolis, Ebonyi state, Nigeria. The study employed the survey research design where a total number of 399 respondents were selected for the study. Structured questionnaire instrument, interview and personal observation facilitated in the gathering of information. Collected data were presented and analyzed using tables, percentages, means, bar chart and the hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square test. Findings from the study revealed that motorcycle operation; food vending, street trading, wheel barrow/carting pushing among others constituted the types and nature of informal sector activities prevalent in Abakiliki Metropolis with all recording high levels. The study also revealed that that lack of adequate market to accommodate traders; high inflation rate; illiteracy; high tax on businesses; high cost of business registration; increased regulation of formal businesses; quest for higher income; unemployment; poverty; lack of adequate entrepreneurial education among others where drivers to engage in informal sector activities in the study area. The study also revealed that pollution; defacing of the environment; illegal conversion of residential buildings to commercial; reduced value of residential/neighbourhood properties; congestion on highways among others was major impacts of informal sector activities on the physical environment of Abakiliki Metropolis. Major recommendation of the study states that the state and federal government should as a matter of urgency commence initiatives to formalize most of the informal sector activities in Abakiliki Metropolis. This can be achieved through tax wafers, grants and access to finance. This would go a long way in regulating and controlling the proliferation of these activities in the study area. | ABSTRACT |
Keywords: Informal Sector Activities; Physical Environment; Street Trading; Abakiliki Metropolis; Marxian Economic Theory; Pollution
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