Port Harcourt
rents do not represent an economic return on the landlord's investment so that there is no free market incentive to build houses for poor people. House-building activity is a major economic engine and we saw no house building activity outside the GRAs. However a noticeable feature of self-employment is the predominance of people from Imo and Abia States who not only seem to choose self-employment in preference to being employed but also seem to succeed well at whatever they choose to do. They probably enhance the economy of Port Harcourt for its 'Third World' citizens more than the oil industry or the government.
21.10 SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The paradox of so much poverty amongst such plenty is often commented upon by residents of Nigeria and visitors alike and nowhere is this paradox more evident than in Port Harcourt where the fabulous wealth generated by the oil industry (at home and abroad) and the riches of the surrounding country contrast so strongly with the grinding poverty of the city. (All clichés, but nonetheless true). Because of poverty the mass of the citizens have little economic power so that their needs are not met and consequently the social infrastructure of the city and its environment are very poor.
Piped water was not available in any of the survey locations when we visited them although water pipes serve most of the city. Thus water supply effectively comes from untreated public and private bore holes.
Refuse collection and dumping is inefficient and badly managed, so that rubbish is a health hazard in compounds, at collection points and at dumps.
There is no sewage system in Port Harcourt so that human waste is disposed of in septic tanks, pits, drains and open water. The major problems for the disposal of human waste are equally a shortage of latrines and a shortage of water.
As a result of the bad management of waste and poor drainage, storm water is polluted and in many parts of the city causes flooding.
Electricity supply is erratic and public street lighting does not exist over most of the city, and where it does, is poorly maintained.
Health facilities are poor and unable to cope with the "alarming" spread of Tuberculosis caused by over-crowded accommodation, poor diet and economic stress, or with the wide range of diseases caused by the poor sanitation. Although the basic facilities and staff numbers are adequate, and staff skills are good, health services are under-funded and suffer from the inadequate supply of basic services that is common to the whole city: thus it cannot operate efficiently and staff moral is low. Most of the citizens are too poor to afford proper medical attention and thus resort to the ill-advised use of patent medicines and drugs.
The health problems of Port Harcourt are mainly caused by poverty and poor water supply, and public health policy seems to be concerned with treating the symptoms of poor health rather than the causes.
Education facilities are scandalous and we use the word advisedly, showing what amounts to contempt for the up and coming generation of adults in Port Harcourt and the region. That students and children in the public sector receive any education at all (remembering that study is impossible in their over-crowded homes) is a credit to the genius of their lecturers and teachers.
Provision of open spaces and other recreational facilities is limited in most of the city outside the Old GRA and Township where they are threatened with poor
247
