CHAPTER ONE
1.1 PREAMBLE
In recent times there has been a rapant growth of towns and cities in this country. This growth has been accompanied with an ever increasing physical social and the technological changes as well as complex Urban Pattern of development.
This fast development with its attendant sprawling effects on the original settlement and town out skirted always cause some land use congestion. Personal and political pressures etc. within and around the area involved. In 1976, Owerri became the capital of the then creates Imo State. Almost immediately, the original settlement which were more or less residential / agricultural areas became engulfed with the fast sprawling development in Owerri.
However the morphology of these land activities in the area was observed not be the function of only the original settlement patten, but also a function of the government policies so in relation to the development of the area. These policies so in relation to the development of the area. These policies and their subsequent implementation in no small measure, contributed to the Owerri Urban with their resultant effects on the indigenous other inhabitants of the area, as the existing facilities in the area.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The main problem of this study was to examine and evaluate the physical, social and economic effect of land use activities in its present location in Owerri Urban and recommend solution to the problems identified, because there has been series of criticism against the manner by which land was allocated to people in Owerri Urban
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This research work aimed towards recognizing the existing land use situation in Owerri Urban and thus high lighting the implications and results of previous development programmes and their implications. This will then severs as basis for formulating a more functional and efficient planning programmes for the area. The objectives are;
1. To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the allocation procedures.