Agricultural Journal

An Appraisal of Urban Poverty and Measures for its Alleviation in Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria

V.A. Okwoche, C.P.O. Obinne and A.E. Otijele

Abstract: The study was undertaken to appraise urban poverty and measures for its alleviation in Makurdi metropolis. Double-stage random sampling was used to select the sample size of 120 respondents. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to describe the data. The study identified poverty of income and access as the main causes of urban poverty. The results of the study indicated that about 52% of the respondents earned an average income of <200,000.00 pa, 59% do not own personal houses and about 56% send their wards to public institutions. Only about 54% have access to pipe borne water; 51% go to public hospitals and about 71% have access to public power supply that is erratic. The study concludes that accessibility of functional public facilities stand out as the key determinants of employment outcome and income earnings. It recommended that the extent to which urban poverty can be alleviated depends on household’s access to functional public facilities and subsequent increased income.