THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION A CASE STUDY OF ESE-ODO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ONDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The mobility of man has increased with technical and economic process. He has specialized means of transport to assist his mobility as much that distance is spoken of in terms of time according to the mode of transport.

Migration is a dynamic component of population with reference to movement of people from one geographical area to another.

Migration can be classified into the following;

a)     Rural – rural migration

b)    Rural – urban migration

c)     Urban – urban migration

d)    Urban – rural migration

But attention will be focused on rapid urbanization process and this has caused great pressure on the existing infrastructure consequently.

This has however led to a deplorable living condition, unemployment and congestion of the urban centres.

The rationalization of infrastructure has become the order of the day and unemployment problem among the people in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

There has been a large movement of people from rural areas to urban centres since independence

This project is meant to find out the causes and effects of rural-urban migration, which has now become rampant in the study area Ese-Odo Local Governemnt Area.

Perhaps, this movement may be as a result of inadequacy of socio amenities in the rural areas, searching for white collar jobs, educational purposes etc. But finance and time have been the major constraints to the realization of this project work.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study that will be achieved include the following;

a)     To identify the causes of rural-urban migration in the study area

b)    To highlight the effects of rural-urban migration in the area

c)     To suggest ways of controlling rural-urban migration in the area

RESEARCH QUESTION

Since this project work will be guided by the following research questions,

a)     What are the causes of rural-urban migration in Ese-odo L.G.A.?

b)    What are the effects of rural-urban migration in the area?

c)     What are the possible ways to check rural-urban migration in Ese-odo L.G.A.?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study of migration has become a problem for a long time now, because since the world began, people have been moving from one locality to another in search of favorable opportunities such as good accommodation, good job, education, health, good communication networks, water and power supply.

The study will help to educate the mind of the individual, policy makers and the government to see the need to formulate policies for integrated rural development to check rural-urban drift in Ese-odo local government area.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study will cover the causes and effects of rural-urban migration in Ese-odo Local Government Area, Ondo State.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The terms used in this project work as follows,

Migration: Migration can be defined as the movement of people from rural areas to the urban centres in order to earn a living

Rural area: This refers to the countryside; it refers to hamlets, villages, farmsteads etc.

Urban area: This refers to towns, cities, conurbations, megalopolis etc.

Settlement: A place containing one or more buildings with people living in them

Migrants: People engaged in moving out of a country

Emigrants: people engaged in moving out of a country

Immigrants: People that moves into a country

Net immigration: This is the difference number of immigration and emigration.