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Approaches to Informality Integration in Planned Neighbourhoods a Case Study of Eagle Island, Port Harcourt

Abstract: Informality can be improved most effectively when neighborhoods adopt approaches that are pivotal to build on unplanned developments. Typically, the Eagle Island neighborhood in Port Harcourt City Council has been embroiled with forceful eviction and demotions of informal settlement by government in time past over certain fundamental issues affecting planned development, noticeable even till date. This study examined the application of existing pro-poor approaches for integrating informal settlements into neighborhood planned development in Eagle Island neighborhood, Rivers State, Nigeria. The study adopted a case study approach with primary data sourced through semi-structured questionnaires administered to 15 senior officials Rivers States Ministries of Lands and Surveys, Urban Development and Lecturers at Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Rivers State University in Port Harcourt representing 75% response rate, while secondary data were mainly from documents from United Nations Human Settlements Programmes. The data collected was qualitatively analyzed using simple percentages with thematic analysis the findings showed that the approaches for integrating informality into formality are locations specific, and not generic for the case of Eagle Island. The approaches includes granting of temporal licenses for settlers to occupy land, removal of anti-informality land laws and politics by government, and provision of laws and policies for integrating informality, government and well-spirited individuals for the intention of providing affordable housing. Therefore, the study concluded that informal settlement should not be considered as an anomaly, but rather incorporating them in the formal system that will necessitate the responses actually needed to address informal settlers, and the needs for the poor to access urban land. Keywords: Informality, Settlement, Approaches, Integration, Neighborhood, Planned Development.