Socio-Economic Implications in Mitigating Housing Challenges and Development in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, of Edo State, Nigeria

This paper examines the Socio economic implications in mitigating housing challenges in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, in Nigeria. The population of study include, housing developers, intending developers and tenants in the area of study. A sample of 360 respondents were drawn from 12 selected urbanizing centers in the study area. The instrument used for the study is the questionnaires and the analysis adopted is the simple percentages. The study revealed that the investment prowess of housing developers, prospective developers and tenants is low due to cost of housing. This was the view of 80 percent of the respondents, 17.5 percent of the respondents were opposed to this view, while 2.5 percent were undecided. The study further revealed that 72.5 percent of the respondents were of the view that having efficient and affordable housing in place will enhance development; 15 percent of the respondents were opposed to this view while 10 percent of the respondents were undecided. The paper recommends that government should step up efforts in housing scheme, acquiring land and appropriating same to would be developers at a reduced rate, and investment on the production of local building materials. Also, that government should provide agricultural incentives which will on the one hand, improve on living conditions in rural areas and on the other hand, boost their investment capabilities thereby, helping to stem incidence of rural urban drift and enhancing national development.