CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

1.0          Introduction

Built-up means the built- up areas, while Expansion is a space through which anything is expanded (Advanced English Dictionary).

Built-up areas have been expanding throughout the world. Monitoring and prediction of the built-up is not only important for the economic development but also acts as sentinels of environmental decline important for ecologically sustainable development of a region. (ARER, 2003).

In the year 2000, urban areas occupied only about 2% - 3% of the earth’s surface; However, they sheltered nearly half the world’s population. The rapid expansion of urban areas, is dramatically changing the landscape of the urban-rural fringe, clearly highlighting the intensity of the ecological footprints of cities. The ecological footprint is defined as “the total area of productive land and water required continuously to produce all the resources consumed and to assimilate all the wastes produced, by a defined population, wherever on earth that land is located”. Kitzes, etal (2007). The wealthy quarter of the world’s population consume over three-quarters of world’s resources, and of the total global resource depletion and pollution, contribution from cities is probably 70% or more. (RWWMEIA, 1996). For example, the per capital ecological footprint of North Americans is 4-5 ha/capita, which accounts for three times their fair share of the Earth’s bounty. Similarly Japan’s footprint is about 2.5 ha/capita and the Netherland’s is 3.3 ha/capita, accounting for about eight and is times greater than the areas of total domestic territories respectively. Lenzen and Murray found Australian’s ecological footprint to be about

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13.6 ha/capita, if determined in terms of actual land use on all types of land. These footprints are associated with the provision of non-farm job opportunities, shifts to higher-valued farm enterprises (such as vegetables, fruits, or livestock) to meet the demands of urban consumers.

On the other hand, the provision of environmental services and landscape amenities place heavy demands on the ecological system in terms of resource extraction, disposal of waste, and discharge of pollutants. Urbanization is mostly taking up agricultural lands and it is estimated that one to two million hectares of cropland are being taken out of production every year in developing countries to meet the land demand for housing, industry, infrastructure, and recreation. The 20th century witnessed some of the most dramatic urban transformations in the history of earth’s terrestrial environments. Lenzen, etal (2007).

1.1         Statement of Research Problem

Urban environment is one of the most dynamic systems on earth and rapid urbanization has been a major development in most parts of the world. The effects of urban concentration become noticed in the 19th century with the alarming rate of urban population, and this trend continues. (De Sherbinin etal, 2002) noted that several decades of accelerating urban growth have exerted profound environmental socio-economic impacts felt in every parts of the world. The continuously growing population culminates in overcrowding resulting in pressure on the land and, consequently, becomes a burden to limited civic cycle amenities forcing the “middle class” as well as the builders to move to outlying suburbs, a phenomenon called urban growth or sprawl.

The European Environment Agency (2006) likened urban sprawl to unplanned, incremental urban development, characterized by low-density mix of land uses on the urban fringe. It is the

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physical pattern of low –density expansion of large urban areas mainly in to the surrounding agricultural areas. Burak and Karen (2008) identified three phases of urban growth and develop scenarios to evaluate the impact of urban growth on several environmental indicators: land use, air quality, and demand for water and energy.

Unchecked and unmanaged urban growth has been attributed to lack of adoption of efficient and effective urban planning tools, sustainable development is often proposed. UN-Habitat (2008) presented global report on planning sustainable cities, which reveals that developed countries have adopted some innovative approaches in recent decades for achieving a sustainable urban environment. Among such approaches are strategic spatial planning, use of spatial planning to integrate public sector functions, new land regularization and management approaches. However, contrary is the case in developing countries where older forms of master planning still persist. This approach fails to accommodate the ways of life of the majority of the inhabitants in rapidly growing and largely poor and informal cities. It has not been flexible to planning spatial structures of the cities which have enhanced the unbridled expansion of cities as well as laxity of monitoring and evaluation of urban plans. This have over time often directly contributed to social and spatial marginalization. Likewise in some areas they could not even follow the guide line provided by the master plan, which in return may result to so many environmental problems, such as flooding, pollution, climate change and land degradation all of which can be happen as a result of building on where it is not supposed to be for example on a drainage line, refuse dump places and in a shelter belt or forest reserves.

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto is one of the oldest tertiary Institution in the northern region, since it was founded in 1975, it is always increasing both in terms of the student population and staff strength which necessitate the expansion of buildings.

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In considering the research problem of the study area, there is the poor implementation process of the original master plan in the University where only 52% of the building structures are implemented which corresponded or tally to the original master plan (Zayyanu 2015), this occurred as a result of insufficient funding of capital project and also the increase in population which could linked to increase in number of the student’s enrolment. This common phenomena lead to the deviation of some structures from their original locations due to lack of funds to compensate settlers of some surrounding villages within the study area. However, insufficient fund also made it difficult to construct buildings far away from academic core area as these buildings cannot be link to amenities like water and electricity supply. Among the deviation areas are old Faculty of Management Sciences now Mathematics Department, Mini Market, and Faculty of Education among others.

It is in view of the foregoing that, the research work will be conducted to assess the extent of built-up expansion in the area using remote sensing and GIS application as a tool.

1.2          Aims and Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the built up expansion in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto for sustainable development.

The specific objectives in this study include;

1.   To determine the trend and direction of built-up expansion in the permanent site of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

2.  To identify the deviation of built-up in relation to the original master plan

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1.3          Research Question

It is believed that the expansion of the University could be linked to socio-economic determinant of the management, students, employees, as well as the people living (settlers) within the campus. It is in view of these that the study seek to find answers to the following research questions;

1.  How does the built up expansion contributes to the overall development of the University?

2.  To what extent did the built-up expansion conformed with the master plan?

3.  What is the direction of built up expansion?

1.4          Justification of the Study

Remote sensing is a means of non-contact data capture and GIS is a tool for data management. The integration of both systems provides effective and efficient tool for urban planning and management. For instance, Shupeng, etal (2000) integrated remote sensing and GIS application in analysis of urban growth in china. They emphasized the early application of remote sensing to environmental monitoring and resources investigation and its achievements in china since the early 1970s.

However, this study focus on the assessment of built-up expansion in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. Therefore, this study tend to incorporate an integrated approach of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques. Similar studies conducted in the study area which did not explore the use of these spatial technology includes; An Apraisal of the Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University Sokoto Master Plan from 1980 to 2004 by Zayyanu (2005), Growth and Expansion of Dandima Area by Zainaf (2005), Land Use Pattern

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and Soil Characteristic in Villages Around Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto by Bara’atu (2008).

1.5          Scope of the Study

The scope of the study covers Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, comprising all Faculties, Libraries, Lecture Halls, Research Centers, V.C Complex, V.C Quarters, and Students Hostel as well as surrounding settlements.

The study emphasizes on built-up expansion in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto from 2007 to 2015.

1.6         Significance of Study

The output data analysis of this research work will aid the school management, government and stake holders in the following ways;

1.    Aid decision making processes and implementation strategies for rapid development of infrastructures, facilities, and intensive expansion of built-up land.

2.   To identify the location of newly built faculties, Departments, Lecture halls, research centers and Library among others facilities in line with the institution master plan.

3.To make futures predictions on the growth and development of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto.

Other students and researchers will benefit immensely from these studies since it provide the data and information regarding to the impact of the expansion of the University.

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1.7         Study Area

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) formerly University of Sokoto, is one of the initial twelve federal Universities in Nigeria founded in 1975. It is in the ancient city of Sokoto. The school is named after Usmanu Dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate. It currently has ten Faculties (Agriculture, Arts, Education, Law, Management Sciences, Social Sciences, Medical College, and Veterinary Sciences. In addition, it has a Postgraduate School and four research centers (Centre for Islamic Studies, Centre for Hausa Studies, Centre for Energy Research, Centre for Environmental Studies and Centre for Peace Studies). Its Students come from across Nigeria and West Africa.

1.7.1         Geographical Location

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto is located between latitudes 13• 07I41.094IIN and longitudes 5•1I54.055IIE respectively. The Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto lies to the north west part of Sokoto State and share its borders with ‘Yar Kanta village to the north, Sokoto rima-river to the south, Makera and Gidan yaro villages to the West, and Sokoto-Gwadabawa-Ilela Border Road to the East, all of which are fall in Wamakko Local Government in Sokoto, Sokoto State.

1.7.2         Physical Characteristics

The topography of the study area is dominated by the famous dissects plain and provides the rich alluvial soil fit for a variety of crop cultivation in the area. There are also isolated hills and mountain ranges scattered all over the area.

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During the cold season; the climate is dominated by hamatten wind blowing sahara dust over the land. The dust dims sunlight, thereby lowering temperatures significantly and also leading to the inconvenience of dust everywhere in the area. While in the hot season however, the maximum daytime temperatures are generally under 40•C (104.0•f) in most of the year.

In terms of Vegetation, Usmanu Danfodiyo University falls within the Savanna zone. This is an open tse-tse fly-free grassland suitable for cultivation of grain crops and animal husbandry. Sokoto Caliphate: (phD. Thesis) A S. A.B.U Zaria.

1.7.3        Climate

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto is in the dry sahel surrounded by sandy savannah and isolated hills. With an annual average temperature of 28.3•C (82.9•f), it is one of the hottest area in the world. The warmest months are February to April, where daytime temperatures can exceed 45•