SPATIO-TEMPORAL PATTERN OF URBAN SPRAWL IN ZARIA URBAN AREA, NIGERIA (1976-2014)

ABSTRACT

Urban sprawl, or the unplanned and uncontrolled spreading out of built-up areas in Zaria urban area causes problems of congestion, poor urban basic infrastructure, delivery and poor urban planning. This study analyzed the pattern, causes and implications of urban sprawl using GIS and Remote sensing as an improved approach to analyze and explain sprawling beyond the traditional spatial or cartographic mapping and monitoring method which lacks the effectiveness to analyze and explain the details of spatio-temporal dimensions of urban sprawl. Map overlay analysis was used to calculate the rate and magnitude of the growth pattern for the four epochs of 1976, 1990, 2000 and 2014 if it could be regarded as sprawl. Results revealed that ribbon and leap-frog pattern of sprawl had fully developed North-South at approximately 25km stretch (Kano-Kaduna road) and 16km East-West on the regional arterial roads (Sokoto road and Jos road). Findings also revealed that the sprawl patterns were as a result of rapid urban population growth, increase demand for land, poor urban planning and social segregation with their respective implications. The causes of having such widespread urban sprawl needs to be studied in order to control the City’s growth.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0         INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

Planning is a decision making method that aims at achieving a desired goal with a given resource and time frame. Urban planning should be viewed in this context particularly with the objectives of addressing the prevailing socio-economical and physical problems of the given town (Haimanot, 2009).

The accurate definition of urban sprawl may be debated but a general consensus is that urban sprawl is most simply defined as the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land at the periphery, driven by multitude of processes and leading to inefficient resource utilization (Bullard, 2000). Urban sprawl has become a negative term without any serious examination of its qualities or benefits and without any critical analysis of its troubled alternative urban congestion while the formation of the world’s cities has always been determined by the means of transport available (Abimbola, 2008).

Due to rapid population growth and urbanization, there has been a rapid rate of sprawl in urban areas globally. As the population increases to accommodate this growth, the resultant effect is sprawl mostly at the fringes or highways. This phenomenon has led to the loss of agricultural land, open spaces and ecologically sensitive habitat. Other negative impacts of urban sprawl are; increase in automobile transportation, congestion, economic segregation and air and water pollution among others (John, 2006). Urban sprawl is not entirely a bad phenomenon. Some positive impacts of urban sprawl are; increased satisfaction of housing preference and generation of an increased number of suburban local governments which are likely to have lower crime rate and better schools (John, 2006).

Urban sprawl is formed as a result of the development pattern which brings about implications on the city and its management causing excessive land consumption due to undervaluation of open space, congestion due to increased commuting and socio-economic segregation due to exclusionary housing market. Sprawl development is now perceived as contributing to fiscal costs for providing infrastructures and public health problems (Carruthers and Ulfarsson, 2002).

1.2         STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

Socio-economic effects of urban sprawl have been shown to be highly inefficient especially in the provision of services and infrastructure by local governments. While the societal effects of urban sprawl are reduced social equity, negative health impact, segregation and inability to adapt to changing lifestyles. Deal and Schunk, 2004 in (Duany et. al, 2000).

In a developing country such as Nigeria, development in urban areas and miscellaneous landuse types are isolated in the fringe areas followed by gradual filling of intervening spaces with similar uses, this is mainly due to rapid growth in population size which is usually uncontrolled. Urban Sprawl is a growing concern of citizens, environmental organizations and governments.

Zaria urban area has been experiencing sprawl over the years due to its increase in population which had led to rapid expansion that had left profound changes on the landscape in terms of land use and land cover. Zaria urban area is a host to several government educational institutions which attracts rapid influx of migrants from all over the country in search of food, shelter, better education and job opportunities.

The direction of expansion is observed to be towards the major roads such as Kaduna-Kano expressway, Zaria-Jos road, Zaria-Birnin Gwari road and Zaria-Sokoto road in a ribbon spread pattern. Some Areas in Zaria like Gaskiya, Hanwa, Zango are characterized by sporadic growth and few scattered development. Discontinuous urban growth is also posing a problem of Land speculation.

Urban sprawl in Zaria urban area is characterized by physical and socio-economic problems such as traffic congestion, loss of open spaces, segregation, very poor infrastructure, and lack of basic facilities in the sprawled areas, loss of vegetation land and increased air pollution and water pollutant runoff into natural waterways. The issues being examined by the pattern of development in Zaria as sprawl brings about urban management implications to the management of Zaria urban area. The study seeks to analyse the pattern and determine the implications of urban sprawl in Zaria. Various studies have been considered on different aspect of urban sprawl which includes Mohammadi, et al (2012), focused on finding the existing pattern of Urmia and the effective factors on such pattern. Another study on sprawl by Aliyu, (2011) focused on examining the pattern and urban management implications of urban sprawl in Kaduna Metropolis through the development and application of an integrated tool of sprawl analysis. Also taking into consideration is the study by Ahmad, 2015 which focused on simulating urban growth in Zaria urban area. This study focuses on the analysis of the pattern of sprawl in Zaria urban area and its implications on urban management which haven’t been studied in Zaria. The result of the research is expected to guide growth in a more ecologically sustainable fashion and assist the study area in attaining the intended spatial design and land use intensities.

1.2.1         RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the pattern and causes of urban sprawl in Zaria urban area?
2. What are the implications of urban sprawl to the study area?

1.3         AIM

The study aims to analyze the pattern and urban management implications of Urban sprawl in Zaria Urban Area towards making appropriate Urban management recommendations.

1.4        OBJECTIVES

1. To review the concepts, characteristics of urban sprawl and the techniques for its analysis.

• To analyze the pattern of urban sprawl in Zaria urban area and establish its causes.
• To establish the urban management implications of urban sprawl in Zaria urban area.
• To make appropriate urban management recommendations in solving urban sprawl issues.

1.5         SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The scope of the study was on the pattern and implications of urban sprawl in Zaria Urban Area, and the limitation was the inability to acquire higher resolution imageries and differences in resolution. Landsat image of 1976 was acquired with the multi – spectral scanner (MSS) which has a spatial resolution of 80 meters, whilst the images of 1990 and 2000 were acquired with Thematic Mapper ™ and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) respectively. These both have a spatial resolution of 30 meters. Although this limitation was corrected for through image thinning of the 1976 using Edras. Apart from this, it produced an arbitrary classification of water body for the 1976 classification.

1.6         SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The expected study findings will disclose the problems encountered regarding the volume of urban sprawl in Zaria urban area. The knowledge is to improve on the issues of controlling urban sprawl. The study was also remarkable to other researchers for their in-depth knowledge acquisition on urban sprawl issues, literature reviews and urban management recommendations for urban sprawl.

1.7         THE STUDY AREA

1.7.1    Geographical Location

Zaria Urban area is located between latitude10^◦57’36’’N and 11^◦15’32’’N and 7^◦39’00’’E and 7^◦53’02’’E. It is made up of it Sabon Gari and Zaria local government areas and some parts of Giwa Local government area like Shika about from Ahmadu Bello University main campus, Samaru (Oladimeji, 2012). The population of Zaria is approximately 975,153 (projections from 2006 national census).

Zaria Urban Area is bounded by Kudan to the North, Igabi to the South, Soba to the East and Giwa to the West. Zaria is about 26 km from Kudan, 50 km from Igabi, 40 km from Soba and 29 km from Giwa

It is defined by a 15Km radius from the PZ post office and is well connected by roads and railways with other regions of the country. Distances from Kaduna, Kano, Jos and Sokoto are approximately; 75Km, 176Km, 387Km and 404km respectively. Zaria is the second principa town in Kaduna state and home to the Ahmadu Bello University, and a host to several other federal government institutions.

In Zaria Urban Area, a railway line running from the south-west cross river kubanni into the town. It has siding at square 6027, and then bifurcates at square 6028 where it has a station (Sabon Gari Railway Compound). A branch line runs north-west wards to Funtua, while the other runs north-east across River Galma to Kano. All trains going to Kano, Gusau and Malumfashi are diverted from Zaria junction that is why it is an important nodal point for the railway system. Similarly, the major roads (Kaduna, Sokoto, Bassawa and New Jos Roads) running south-west wards, north-west wards, north wards and east wards links Zaria Urban Area to important towns like Kaduna, Funtua, Kano and Jos which also makes it an important nodal point for the road system. According to the existing Zaria Master Plan (1979) Zaria Urban Area falls on the north-south axis by road, connecting Lagos to Kano and also part of Niger.

1.7.2        Weather and Climate

Zaria area poses a tropical continental climate, the area is characterized by distinct wet and dry season. The seasonality is determine by the movement of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Four seasons based on temperature and rainfall are identify. This is cool dry season (May/June-September) and a season of decreasing and falling temperature end of September to late November. Rainfall starts from May to September with its peak in August. It is of convective type with thunder storm at the beginning and end of the rainy season. With an annual rainfall of about 1000mm, the length of the rainy season is between 150±10 days. Temperature over the area is higher than 27°C over the years (Oladimeji, 2012).

1.7.3     Vegetation

The vegetation of Zaria is of Northern guinea Savanna, which is characterized by well-developed grass layer of tufted. The vegetation has being modified by man. It climatic climax was to be a deciduous forest but human influence have interfere with it and the whole area has been stripped of its natural vegetation. The dominant tree species are Isoberlina doka, Isoberlina tomentosa, uapacca togoenis, parkia clapertoniana vitex doniana and so on. Other tree species are those deliberately planted by man and are of high economic value, this include magnefera indica, ceibs penttendra, termirindus indica and other exotic tree species The vegetation is scattered and are interspersed with grasses, which are usually brown during the dry season. The trees here are deciduous and adoptive feature include thick bark, long tap root, modify leaves etc (Oladimeji, 2012).

1.7.4     Soil

The soil in Zaria area belongs to the tropical soils, and can be attributed to the geology and climate of the area. A tropical soil profile of the area shows distinct differentiation of horizon, and deposits of concretion noodles and mottles underlying the horizon. Some of the soil near the inselbergs may be considered as weakly developed while in the fadama area, are hydromophic soils. In the valley bottom land, vertisols are common, and overlain by transpoted alluvial soils. The fadama soil are seasonally flooded and are mostly dark gray with very poor drainage. The profile also shows the accumulation of clay between a depth of 36-119 cm, below the horizon of clay accumulation is one of iron accumulation and impotant defect of such soil is that very heavy rain surface caps which are impermeable are formed (Oladimeji, 2012).

1.7.5         Drainage Systems

Zaria is being drain by three great rivers, which are Galma, Kubani and Saye river. River Galma is perennial, and is located in the northeast direction. The other two are seasonal. River Galma is a major tributary of river Kaduna with a drainage basin of about 300Km² in area. It is a major source of water for irrigation and also for domestic use. The area is characterized by two type of drainage basin, base on stream frequencies and drainage density. The first one is characterized by a large number of unbranched first order tributaries, producing high stream frequencies and drainage densities such basin are characterized by gulling and intense head water erosion. The second type consists of the basin with low stream frequencies and drainage densities e.g Kubanni to the east of Zaria. The valley bottoms here contain wide marshy flood plain meanders. The drainage patterns are commonly dendritic, reflecting the absence of structural control over the drainage channels on their deeply weathered plains.

 

1.8         Physical Form of Zaria

 

 

The present day Zaria is presently made up of four planning districts -Zaria city, Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari and Samaru.

Source: Author, 2015

1.8.1    Zaria City

Zaria city, which is the headquarters of the Zazzau Emirate, lies in the South of Zaria. The original walled city retains much of the physical character of the traditional indigenous settlement of the Muslim Hausa-Fulani population. The city still has a traditional character of perimeter wall, a complex maze of mud-walled compounds, and major roads secured by city gates (Kofas) leading to the Emir’s palace (Fadar Sarkin Zazzau) at Babban Dodo, the Friday mosque, and the market area..

1.8.2                     Tudun Wada

Tudun Wada is situated immediately North of the main city gate. It was the original strangers’ quarters for non-natives of Northern Nigerian origin. Tudun Wada has a grid- iron street pattern which was laid out in 1914. It was part of the Emirs farm in 1904 which was later developed as a result of the colonial administration policy. Its population growth owns much to the employment opportunities offered by establishments like Federal College of Education, ABU Institute of Administration, ABU Teaching Hospital and Kaduna State polytechnic. Several expansions have been made to Tudun Wada as it now extends to Gaskiya and Tudun- Jukun and Tukur- Tukur.

1.8.3                     Sabon Gari

To the north of Tudun Wada lies Sabon Gari. Sabon Gari was created by colonial policy to house strangers from the southern parts of the country. It was built after the railway reached Zaria in 1911. It houses immigrants of mixed cultures and religions. Sabon Gari was laid out on grid- iron street pattern, which is indicative of an attempt at planning. The area is characterized by medium and low density residential plots. Later, areas like Muchia, Chikaji and Dogon Bauchi sectors were engulfed by development. Adjacent to Sabon Gari lays the Government Reservation Area (GRA). It is characterized by west European oriented urban design pattern. The roads are properly laid out, plots are mainly of low density and there are a lot of organized open spaces. The Sabon Gari area is zoned to residential, commercial, industrial, health, education, and recreational uses. This district has now transformed to become the CBD of Zaria. The GRA was originally reserved exclusively for the British administrator but indigenous officers now occupy the area. It has the Zaria club, Polo field, Race course, and Gulf club situated in it. After the GRA, moving northwards are few indigenous settlements of Kwangila, Hanwa, and Dogarawa.

1.8.4                     Samaru

Samaru is a religiously and cultural mixed settlement. Samaru evolve from a small colonial farming settlement into a large community. Samaru village owes its growth to the influence of Ahmadu Bello University, National Institute of Leather Research Technology and the Institute for Agricultural Research. The settlement inhabited mostly by people working in the university. The settlement has expanded over time to include other settlement like Zango, Palladan, Layin Zomo and Bomo.

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