The effectiveness of the mapping and assessment of Quality of Life (QoL) in the identification of problemareas and in monitoring development policies makes it a suitable method in poverty studies. In an attempt to enhance QoL as a strategy for poverty alleviation decision-making, this research has adopted the analytical tool of Geographical Information System (GIS). Twelve indicators were used to assess the QoL of Egor Local Government Area (LGA), Edo State, Nigeria. These indicators were grouped into threedifferent domains of life (social, economic and physical). Spatial autocorrelation check was performed onthe indicators to determine the spatial prediction method that was used to map each indicator. Of all theseindicators, only two were spatially auto-correlated. The two indicators were mapped using the Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW). The other indicators were mapped using the voronoi polygons. The twelve models were used to model and assess QoL with the utilization of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis. The weights used for the combination of the various mapped indicators were given by the respondents. TheQoL model was cross-validated using leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation method. The result showedthat the QoL of 61.53% of the geographic space of Egor LGA was below average, 17.94% was extremelypoor, and 14.55% was average, while the classes above average and excellent were not on the QoL model. In addition, the research identified priority development areas and concluded that the QoL of thepeople of Egor LGA was poor and required urgent conscious intervention by all development partners including the government.

Climate change is posing threat to existence of life. Many developing nations includingNigeria lack the necessary coping capability for the impact of climate change. It has thereforebecome necessary to integrate climate change concerns into spatial planning. This researchaimed at assessing the human settlement adaptation strategies arising from climate change impactsin Asaba, Nigeria. The town was delineated into four clusters - Umuagu, Umuezeh, Ogbeumuataand Umuonaji. A sample size of 900 amounting to 4.2% of the total number of households waschosen. Using systematic random sampling procedure, respondents were selected in proportionateto the established household population in the various clusters. Data collected include level ofawareness about climate change, household vulnerability to climate change impact and adaptationmeasures adopted by households. These data were analyzed and results presented with descriptivestatistics including Tables, Charts and Figures. Identified adaptation strategies in the communityinclude land filling, sinking of boreholes, adoption of aquaculture, increased in Damp Proof Course(DPC) level and tree planting to reduce the effect of urban heat island. The paper concluded thatmost of the adaptation strategies that were put in place are effective as they have relatively reducedthe impacts of climate change in the study area. The research however canvassed for the establishmentof climate change information systems that will facilitate robust awareness and promoteearly warning systems. Other recommendations include provision of intensive training onsustainable adaptive climate change strategies, identification of vulnerability hot spots and adop-tion of community penetrative public enlightenment on climate change phenomenon.

A new Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has just been established in Ondo State, Nigeria. The development was expected to herald efficient and sustainable physical planning. To maximize the opportunities offered by this innovative development, some conditions are desirable. This paper therefore examined the problems confronting physical planning in the State and proffer appropriate solutions to unravel them with the intention of optimizing the gains arising from this innovation. The study involved a survey of physical planning mechanisms and agencies of governments responsible for physical planning in Ondo State. It investigated the evolution of physical planning in the state. Other variables examined include: human and financial capacity available for physical planning, development control process, master planning, inventory of project vehicles and equipment among others. The problems that were identified include lack of urban development policy, ineffective development control, inadequate/absence of capacity in appropriate discipline, dearth of spatial information and data and absence of master plan to guide the development of settlements in the State. The paper therefore canvassed for immediate evolvement of urban development policy coupled with series of legislations and regulations that would facilitate development control. Other recommendations include capacity building in relevant discipline, recruitment of staff with contemporary knowledge in urban planning, acquisition of spatial information and data for planning purposes and the immediate development of master plans for major settlements in the State.

Abstract In most developing countries, it has been recognized that conventional water utilities have fallen short in providing adequate water services to populations. Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria is a typical community that is presently not being serviced by such water utilities due to the inability of the Water Supply Agency (WSA) in supplying water to the area. Households therefore seek other alternative sources including water vending. This paper examined the role of water vending in household water supply delivery in this community. It identified the sources of water supply by the vendors, assessed their level of patronage among households and identified the problems associated with their operations. For the study, a total number of 1,139 and 57 households and vendors were selected by simple random sampling respectively. The result showed that there are two main categories of water vending namely; formal and informal vendors. All formal vendors obtain their supplies from improved sources while most informal vendors obtain theirs from unimproved sources. Majority of the households consider vended water as a coping strategy since they are aware of the safety implications. Therefore, most households are willing to pay for water services. The paper canvassed the need for government to recognize the role of water vending in water delivery. It advocated for a secondary level of supply mechanism among vendors in a bid to ensure quality water supply. The paper concluded that the most sustainable strategy would be to resuscitate the moribund piped water supply system earlier initiated by the WSA.

The high prevalence of cases of waterborne diseases in most cities in Nigeria is alarming. In these cities, there is littledocumentation about the spatial variability of the incidence of the diseases.This study adopts GIS techniques to investigate the spatial variation of waterborne diseases in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Data for the study were acquired fromIKONOS satellite imagery and topographical map from which essential featureswere extracted using digital image processing techniques of Erdas Imagine 9.1 version.Structured questionnaire was also used to elicit information on households’socio-economic characteristics. Water samples were collected and analyzed usingstandard microbial and chemical methods. The microbial count, pH and waterhardness were interpolated using Krigging interpolation technique in ArcGIS9.3. The secondary data utilized for the study include land use data andreported cases of water borne diseases from health facilities. Geocodingtechnique of ArcGIS 9.3 was employed to match the addresses of the patientswith the cases of water borne diseases. The results showed that mostreported cases of water borne diseases were due to environmental factorsincluding poor environmental sanitation and topography. This implies that acontinuous negligence and under estimation of the role of these factors in thespatial spread of the water borne diseases may increase the vulnerability andhealth risk of the people in the area. The study recommends frequent treatmentof wells and boreholes, improved environmental sanitation and enhanced wastemanagement strategies.

The development was expected to herald efficient and sustainable physical planning. To maximize theopportunities offered by this innovative development, some conditions are desirable. This paper thereforeexamined the problems confronting physical planning in the State and proffer appropriate solutions to unravel them with the intention of optimizing the gains arising from this innovation. The study involved a survey of physical planning mechanisms and agencies of governments responsible for physical planning in Ondo State. It investigated the evolution of physical planning in the state. Other variables examined include: human and financial capacity available for physical planning, development control process, master planning, inventory of project vehicles and equipment among others. The problems that were identified include lack of urban development policy, ineffective development control, inadequate/absence of capacity in appropriate discipline, dearth of spatial information and data and absence of master plan to guide the development of settlements in the State. The paper therefore canvassed for immediate evolvement of urban development policy coupled with series of legislations and regulations that would facilitate development control. Other recommendations include capacity building in relevant discipline, recruitment of staff with contemporary knowledge in urban planning, acquisition of spatial information and data for planning purposes and the immediate development of master plans for major settlements in the State.

Problem statement: The efficiency and effectiveness of domestic water sources are often gauged by availability, accessibility and adequacy. This study examined various variables that could be harnessed in measuring these parameters with respect to water supply in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Approach: The purpose of this study is to investigate the various attributes of domestic water sources in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Three residential zones were identified in the city. They included the urban core, transitional zone and urban periphery. A sample size of 1,200 amounting to 4.0% of the total number of households in Ado-Ekiti, was chosen. Specific areas referred to as Data Delineation Areas (DDAs) were identified in each zone. Based on the estimated population of each DDA, the number of households to be interviewed was estimated. In consonance with some assumptions, 600 (50.0%) questionnaires were administered in the city core while 420 (35.0%) and 180 (15.0%) questionnaires were administered in the transitional zone and urban periphery, respectively. Subsequently, systematic sampling procedure was adopted in the choice of households to be interviewed. Some of the attributes investigated included the main source of domestic water used by household, access to improved source of water, distance from improved source to residence, average time spent to fetch from main source, average number of trips per person per day, quantity of water used per person per day and attack by water-borne diseases. Results: Households in Ado-Ekiti had access to diverse sources of domestic water including wells, boreholes, streams/rivers/springs, tanker-drawn water and rainwater. However, most households (59.8%) depended on wells. Nevertheless, 84.3% had access to improved sources. Only 10.0% of these households obtained supplies from piped water while piped network is largely restricted to the city core. The research showed that distance, time, number of trips and adequacy of supplies placed limitations on access to improved source. Only 63.2% of the households in the city obtained water supplies within 1 km from their dwelling places. About 67.0% spent less than 30 min round trip to obtain water from improved sources while 61.6% made more than three (3) trips to water sources per day. Only 22.7% of the households had access to at least 40 L per person per day while 36.9% were annually afflicted with water-borne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhea and stomach ache. Conclusion: Domestic water supply system in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria is characterized by low level of access, inadequate supplies from improved sources while these sources are usually distant away from the households.

Willingness to pay for urban services is often regarded as a means of ensuring the long termsustainability of such services. This paper examined some factors that explain citizens’ willingness to pay for improved sustainable water supply in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Such analysis is critical to the success of thegovernment current drive on privatization and divestment on infrastructural financing. Empirical estimates show that factors that significantly affect willingness to pay for improved sustainable w ater supply include; main source of domestic water used by household, access to improved source of w ater, distance from main source to house, average time spent to fetch from main source, adequacy of supply from main source, quantity of water used per person per day, quantity of water purchased per day, attack by water borne diseases, performance of supply from designated w ater institution and average amount spent on water during the dry season. Some policy implications of findings are discussed.

A water supply is an essential requirement for all people. However, a certain minimum quantity of water per person per day is required to meet the domestic and hygiene needs of the people. This paper examined some factors that impact on the quantity of water available to households in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Such analysis is critical to any attempt by government to improve domestic water supply in the city. Empirical estimates show that factors that significantly affect the quantity of water used by households include: distance from main source to house, average time spent to fetch from main source, average number of trips per person per day to main source, adequacy of supply from main source, performance of supply from designated water institution, main source of domestic water used by household, education level, profession/occupation and annual income. Some policy implications of findings are discussed.

In the Nigerian Federation, water supply is a state responsibility. State governments have therefore created State Water Agencies to manage and operate systems for water service delivery in all urban and semi-urban areas. Generally, these State Water Agencies have failed to effectively deliver water services to the people. In Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State Water Corporation is saddled with the task of meeting the water needs of the city dwellers. This paper examines some factors that explain the poor service delivery level of the Corporation. Adopting a sample size of 1,200 (4% of the total number of households in Ado-Ekiti) through random sampling technique, empirical estimates show that factors that significantly affect the performance level of this Corporation include: payment for water supply, billing system, adequacy of supply, frequency of pumping of water, notices from the Corporation in cases of system breakdown, response to leakages, adequacy of public standing pipes and appropriate location or distribution of standing pipes. The paper clamored for an evolvement of water policy for the state that would adequately address the issues emanating from the significant factors affecting the Corporation performance.