SOCIAL CAPITAL: A POVERTY REDUCTION MECHANISM IN MINNA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

shelter is one of the basic necessity of life and offers protection against inclement weather to the occupants. One of the problems with the provision of public housing in Nigeria and indeed all other developing countries is that of the low quality of housing. Most government have done well in public housing provision but still qualitative housing with attendant safety have continued to elude the populace. Qualitative housing facilitates and ensures housing safety. Attempt was made to examine the flaws in the provision of public house in terms of quality and safety and explore the quality of construction and materials used in Talba housing estate along Bida-Minna road Minna Niger State. The methodology adopted in the study area empirical observation to ascertain the condition of the housing units. The findings shows that generally many of the materials used are substandard and there is poor quality construction of the housing units in the study area. The paper opined that responses to the public housing problems (quality and safety wise) had failed in Nigeria largely due to the use of non- professional or quacks likewise poor mechanism of monitoring the implementation and construction process. The paper concludes that the use of standard materials and qualitative construction is a major antidote to quality and safe housing provision problems in Nigeria why recommending participatory process involving complex system of interaction between institutions, professionals antisans and residents.