Spatial Assessment of Urban Facilities and Services in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

The rapid increase in both urban and rural populations in Rivers State has led to the problem of inadequate availability of urban facilities and social services thus giving rise to social disparity and unequal access to these basic facilities and services by people of the same population spectrum. Empirical research has shown that the problems of social disparity (inequality) particularly in urban areas are on the increase and is gaining global and local attention. Despite the efforts of successive governments in the study area to combat this social problem, it is still raising its head in form of unequal access to educational facilities, health care, urban housing, good roads, and emergency services. This study, therefore, spatially assessed urban facilities and services in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. The mixed research method was adopted. However, the sampling size for the study comprises of 160 users of these urban facilities/services and staff of the facilities who were also interviewed. Data for the study were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools while Chi-square (X2) method of analysis was used to validate the research hypothesis. The result of the study revealed that accessibility to urban facilities and services is contingent on the level of income of residents in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The result further showed that the accessibility level to urban facilities and services varies across the sampled urban neighbourhoods. Arising from the above, the researchers recommended the deliberate formulation and implementation of policies targeted at eliminating the increasing inequality in access to urban facilities and services in Port Harcourt metropolis and the urgent need to increase the number of basic socio-economic, health, educational and recreational facilities/services to serve the increasing population in the metropolis.