Port Harcourt
development, these types of compounds generally suffer more air and noise pollution, and worse ventilation. However building methods are better because of the landlord's security of tenure and population densities (800-1,000 persons per hectare) are not amongst the highest in the city because the buildings are single storey and the layout is anarchic, although open space is severely limited. Rents are around N300 (1994) per room per month, which is why so many of the city's residents prefer to live at the waterside.
In contrast to Ikwerre Road, the compound at Abakaliki Street is more typical of the housing developments that took place in the city before the frantic growth after the civil war. It is very well laid out and designed but, and perhaps because of this, it has the most overcrowded conditions that we surveyed, at 2,008 persons per hectare, although the living conditions were otherwise comparatively well organised and (given the general problems of Port Harcourt) sanitary.
The compound at Aggrey Road is also fairly typical and its condition falls somewhere between Ikwerre Road and Abakaliki Street, with a population density of about 1,000 persons per hectare. It was here that we found the worst overcrowding: a family of 13 living in one room.
The conditions of the GRA Phase III Federal Government housing estates are, in contrast, much superior to the others with European design bungalows and apartments and good urban population densities. Nonetheless the housing designs are not suited to a humid tropical climate, or to the social nature of Nigerian extended families. Thus a two bedroom, first floor apartment does not suit a 13 person household, particularly where water has to be carried in for washing, bathing and flushing a cistern reservoir lavatory.
The servants quarters at Amadi Flats represent a realistic ideal and target for Port Harcourt. That is if it had running water (or even a convenient stand-pipe), with a family of eight living in two rooms with its own bathroom and kitchen and plenty of outside space for living, relaxing and domestic farming.
21.7 THE RESIDENTS
Many people were interviewed by ERA and conversations held with numerous others, and it is their stories that constitute the raw material of the ERA survey of Port Harcourt. Yet we recognise that every individual human condition is unique and to generalise is to belittle the singular humanity of the storytellers. Conditions vary from unemployed deserted wives with children to feed; to happy-go-lucky close-knit families who make a living in all sorts of legal and illegal ways; to young single men and women hopeful of some success in life; to old people waiting to die in squalid and hopeless conditions.
Some of the statements made by the residents can be found at the end of this chapter.
21.8 CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Port Harcourt is a city of immigrants most of whom are driven to the city because of poverty in search of work. The majority come from other parts of the old Rivers State and then primarily from Imo, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Abia States in that order.
The living conditions of the city are mitigated to some extent by the traditional extended family which is the only form of welfare. Conversely however the tradition of extended family responsibility makes overcrowding in houses worse.
Despite the perseverance of the extended family and its benefits the conditions of overcrowding and of high unemployment mitigate against the health of the family
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