CHAPTER ONE

1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

          Cities as well as the suburbs communities worldwide have faced significant social and economic changes( Kasard, 1978), said what one took place in a large high density city could now spread-out in a large, low density city. Urban crisis had a dramatic influence on suburban growth and many people found no work and faced discrimination. The central city experienced high crime rates and high unemployment. All consequences of economic transformation, which accompanied by decreasing local economic performance, due to loss of market businesses and the present crises. The generation of new work places has become very instrumental due to the consequences of urbanization, economic stagnation or decline, local government, accelerate economic development, and activate local subject’s formation of corporative local climate, rapid mobilization of resources and generating certain level of sustainable endogenous development.(Mckenziel,1967)) stated that the   demographic and ecological changes of the city residents moving to suburban communities was a direct result of transportation innovation while( Hawley,1950)argued that a diminished friction of space made urban deconcentration possible. Suburban communities faced challenges such as declining quality of community life, lack of affordable housing ,community structures are evolving and commuting times from home to work drastically reduced by improved roads, making more central city workers to live in suburb communities.

There is home lessens growing income inequality; displacement of rural people from their land is leading to rapid urbanization in the cities all over the country. Squatter settlements are proliferating and crime rates are increasing.   When this devolution is planned well, implemented efficiently and managed competently, local government showed themselves capable of taking on additional responsibilities handling them well.

            There are several reasons why local government is indispensable to the process of urban renewal beginning with their traditional roles. Local government in which business can flourish. Local government are responsible for physical infrastructural development such as road construction and maintenance, housing, public toilet and information technology which are very instrumental for urban renewal. In cities or towns, local government also address the needs of their citizens for housing, transportation services, cultural and recreational facilities.

(Ferry, 2015), acknowledged that the local government accountability ensure democratic control of public institutions to prevent corruption and abuse of power and to    improve public confidence in governance arrangement. This accountability exist when there is a relationship where an individual or body, and the performance of task or functions by that individual or body, are subject to another direction or request that they provide information or justification for their actions. Local government subject to more accountability structures provided better public services. Participatory accountability is very instrumental as it found positive effect on citizens. This has increased awareness of citizen rights. Accountability should encourage dialogue to be collaborative rather than conflictive.(Sidgwick, 2014),considers local government as government of some sub organs that have special powers to issue regulations or rules within the area which manage. Sidgwick connects this government with its legislative character, in which local government can therefore be described as some government bodies elected by the people that have administrative, legislative and executive functions on the territories under jurisdiction. It is an authority that decides or determines certain measures within a given territory. Regarding the literally analysis of the word, it means governance or management of local affairs by people part of that community. Here comes the important principle of subsidiarity, according to which local needs can be better met and fulfilled by people close to the, then the central government

            Humes and Martin, (1961) local government possess most of the following attributes: population clearly defined area, the capacity to sue and be sued, the ability to make contracts, a continuing organizations, the authority to undertake and the power to conduct public activities and the right to collect revenue and determine a budget within defined geographical and legal jurisdiction, the defining feature of local authorities is the defined jurisdiction. Local government is comprised of a number of local authorities. Local authorities are  created to render  services in defined geographical areas primarily  because of the inability of central government  to  attend to all the detailed requirements of society that have to be satisfied  by the government institutions. The local authorities provided urban services such as housing, planning developing streets, parks, construction and maintenance of roads. Local government is an essential link in the relationship between the government and the citizens especially because it bound to particular geographical area and to the problems that   are peculiar. Local municipal government   finds its own funding for infrastructure projects and most of its welfare program. Land is the most valuable “commodity” under the control of a local government; generating revenue from leasing land use rights and charging land use fees has become the most popular practiced of local government (Zhang, 2000). Local government has vested interests in urban redevelopment in Bamenda because they can expand local tax base by leasing land. Land government has done a lot  as the municipal council turn to maintain roads, ordered  the construction of old buildings, plant trees from up station down toward the finance junction, so as  to beautify the city and prevent accidents as vehicles could rolled in to the bushes or forest and  into houses or buildings. This is because the topographic nature of the road is that of steep slopes.

Urban renewal has been operative since human first permanent settlements (Holcomb, 1981). Following the progress of constant process of metamorphosis and unavoidable have to face necessity of continuous

            Urban renewal not until late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s did relatively coordinated groups and business interest arise whose intent was to eliminate the physical manifestation of urban decline (Holcomb, 1981). Urban renewal is all about the improvement to the urban environment and infrastructure by the provision of more open space, community and the improvement of urban layout, roads networks and other infrastructure (Englenbertct, 2006).

            The rapid increased of population in Bamenda is as a result of rural exodus in which many ruralists from suburbs and villages in Bamenda migrate to the Bamenda city. This rapid population increased has led to population increased, has led to population  congestion  in many house hold, deterioration of buildings public toilet and ever crowding of shops especially  in Nkwen  markets, Bayelle streets , the streets  of commercial  avenue and up station. These entire area called for concern as many shops and buildings are renewed whereas other dilapidated buildings are destroyed and reconstructed. Rapid urbanization has led to economic growth, more high quality buildings. In this context, urban sprawl became major methods for meeting such demand. Urban renewal brings improvement to the existing urban area which is a sound approach to cape with urban decay and achieved multiple socio-economic goals. Urban renewal plays a vital role in improving life quality and will keep bringing positive changes in urban areas. There are two major types of urban renewal projects such as redevelopment and rehabilitation replacement of rehabilitated buildings with new ones. Rehabilitation refers to the building s and neighbourhoods through small scale physical change such as building structural reinforcement and the renovation of neighbourhoods. Innovation planning compare to traditional one is more inclusive which ensures public participation (UN Habitat, 2009).

1.2 Context of the study

The world since the second half of the 20th century has experienced rapid population growth. (United Nation, 2015), World population reached 7.3billion.The world has added one billion people since 2003 and two billion since 1990. In 2015, 50.4 percent of the world was male and 49.6percent was female. Ngwana (2013) affirms that population increased four-times faster during the 20^th century; from 2 billion in 1945 to about 5.7billion in1997. The population has been increasing and in 2010, global population was projected at about 6.9 billion, 8.3 billion in 2030 and to 9.1 billion in 2050 (Sarr, 2013) the less economically developed countries are experiencing faster population growth than the more economically developed countries. Waugh (2009) affirms that as at present, the average population growth rate for the developed countries is 0.64 percent per year compared with 2.07 percent in developing countries. Africa and particularly sub-Saharan Africa is said to be experiencing the fastest population growth in the world in the 21th century.

As population continues to increase so too is the rate of urbanization. For the first time in history, more than half its population, 3.3 billion people, will be living in urban areas (UNDP and UNICEF, 2009). Also, the world’s urban population is expected to grow from 3.17 billion in 2005 to 4.97 billion by 2030; high-income countries will account for only 116 million out of the expected increase of1.8 billion. Urban areas are currently growing by almost 1.3 million people a week, or a city the size of Munich or Orlando, every seven days. As number of people continues to increase in urban areas, so too are increases in the number of urban areas. Third world countries are experiencing the highest rate of urbanization as rural exodus continues to be a perennial phenomenon. Most of the world’s urban growth in the next two decades (UNDP and UNICEF 2009), 92 percent will be absorbed by cities of the developing world, which are least equipped to deal with rapid urbanization. This will be particularly notable in Africa and Asia, where the urban population will double between 2000 and 2030, making up 81 percent of urban growth during that period, with harmful consequences if governments do not prepare now for the coming growth.

Inhabited urban areas on the other hand are spreading to the suburbs. Cities undergone changes since the economic growth is accompanied by an accelerated urban expansion, in which inner city redevelopment programs have prevailed in cities across the country (Zhang and fang, 2004). Land transformation and housing co modification have stimulate extensive urban redevelopment (Wu, F. and Yeh. A. G, 1997), millions of households were impacted. This explain the reason why inhabited urban areas are fast spreading to the periphery of the town, while inner city experiences decay. The core inner city segment of urban population is indeed poor, and is constrained to limited, insufficient, crowded, cold, dirty shelter and a degraded environment. The urban poor who are the resident of these areas are subjected to a life characterized by precious conditions of nutrition little or poor material possessions mabogujie, (1980),Filani, (1987). Most urban centers in the developing country are characterized by high density of building, the crowding of large numbers of people into those building lack spaces for open air living between houses, substandard housing and acute environmental problems. Many developing countries particularly Nigeria is fast decay. The factors responsible can be trace to rapid urbanization, rural urban migration, urban infrastructure, poor quality of original construction, lack of integrated planning, natural disaster and war (Owoeye and Omole, 2012). The increasing rate of urban sprawl is as a result of unplanned or inadequate manage urban expansion lead to rapid sprawl, pollution, environmental degradation with unsustainable production and consumption pattern (UN, 2014). The urban growth, high population density and high consumption rate of resident in large cities has lead to a wide range of local and global socioeconomic and environmental impacts which requires attention from the world community and city decay being rampant within the third world countries, the need of urban renewal or urban regeneration where the urban area is revitalized again.

Urban renewal or urban regeneration is a serious tool that had emerge in an attempt to provide desirable solution to the problem emanating from urbanization especially in areas that experience urbanization especially for a long period of time. Less developed countries such as Mexico, Brazil Egypt, Taiwan and Korea, that displayed features for attracting industrial development and capital, began to play a more important role in the world production, becoming newly industrializing countries Friedman and Wolff 1982. The attraction of new industrial areas, the modernizing cities and the influx of migrants from rural areas in such countries. This migration in combination with high rate of birth constituted one of the biggest problems for the cities of developing countries, the population explosion (Potter, 1992). Many of these countries began a process of intense urbanization, urban growth and the world fastest growing cities are now found in the third world. (Herbert, 1990) the internationalization of the economy and the spread of technology and western values caused the “westernization” of the cities of the third world. Urbanization has generally replace the urban form inherited from the colonial period with a spacious lay out.  

The process of urban renewal for most countries of the world have been in trusted the hands of local governments. Except for a few countries, local governments such as municipal councils have been at the helm of urban renewal.

Like many other countries of the world, the process of urban renewal and urban development in Cameroon has been the responsibility of local government or municipal council. Though this responsibility is not the solely in the hands of municipal authority but also the ministries particularly the ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The Bamenda City council in collaboration with her sub divisional councils of Bamenda I, II, and III as well as the ministry of Housing and Urban Development has the task to carry out urban regeneration within the Bamenda city council area.

 Bamenda is experiencing urban renewal due to the rapid rate of population growth and urbanization which has lead to the depreciation, deterioration of infrastructures and social amenities in Bamenda made urban renewal a call for concern. Bamenda also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in North Western Cameroon, regional head quarter of the North West region and Divisional head quarter of the North West Region .Bamenda being a town and its present states of population growth and development is experiencing urban renewal. Council Areas such as Bamenda I, Bamenda II and Bamenda III are experiencing urban renewal. Bamenda I comprises of areas such as Ntangang, Ayaba, Ntenefor and Abaingoh. Bamenda II Comprised of areas such as Mulang, Ngomgham, Musang, Atu-Azire, Ntamulung, and Mankon. Bamenda III comprises of areas such as Sisia, Foncha Street and Ntasen.

1.3 Statement of the Research Problem

Population in the past decade has continued to increase in the urban areas of the less economically developed countries in the world. Despite the continuous increase, local government authorities (urban management authorities) have continuously shown lack or neglected policies on urban renewal. This is evident by little or no concrete implementation plan on urban regeneration. In the case of the Bamenda city council area, it has been observed that inner city areas like Ntabang, Ntamulung, and Atuazire (Meta Quarters) Azire B and Ntarinkon have been neglected by municipal authorities as evident by the presence of old Structure, adequate drainage facilities, inadequate potable water and relatively poor road network and lack of basic sanitary facilities. Construction of houses at Sisia and Abangoh are found on steep slopes that forms the edge of a long area on highland and for this reason faced the problem of landslide. Many people settle in such areas because of poverty especially as some of the inhabitant of such areas is low income earners. Many people live at Sisia and Abaingoh despite it difficult topography because these areas are their land of birth and so they found it difficult to emigrate from areas. Bike riders and vehicles faced a lot of problem due to the difficult topography which distort their flexible movement or passage mile four Nkwen, Abangoh and Ntabang are areas facing the problem of crime in Bamenda and these areas experienced high rate of theft. There exist a lot of disorganization in Bamenda due to high rate of poverty and mobility.

          Furthermore, recent developments (building designs, road redevelopment) do not show signs of a planned environment with no unique style with futuristic intensions. These areas are characterized by quarter roads with sizes less than the standard seven and ten meters and house constructed without setbacks that meet the required standards. More so, these areas within the slums show signs of urban poverty as evident by marked unemployment and consequently high crime wave. notes that Poverty is now increasing more rapidly in urban areas than in rural areas, especially in Africa, but most assessments underestimate the scale and depth of urban poverty Recent comprehensive studies show that unemployment and underemployment are characteristics of urban economies, and that the populations which are growing most in urban areas are those which cannot access the formal labour market. Further, the infrastructure of cities cannot meet the increased demands for services and this has led to increased crowding and a deteriorating urban environment. In an attempt to fine answers to these questions, the research was guided by the following research questions:

1.4 Research questions

1) What is the role of the local government in the development process in Bamenda City?

2) How is the development processes manifesting in Bamenda City?

3) What are the urban renewal activities by local government in Bamenda City?

1.5 Research Objectives

        The research had the following objectives

1) To assess the role of Local Government in the development process in Bamenda.

2) To analyse the urban development process in Bamenda.

3) To evaluate urban renewal activities in Bamenda by the Local Government.