CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS: THE CASE OF WORETA TOWN SOUTH GONDAR ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The thesis entitled causes and consequences of informal settlement in Woreta town. Informal settlement is the area occupied by the individuals or group of people, without permission or recognition of municipal authorities. The causes for the expansion of informal settlement, characteristics of informal settlement and the impacts of informal settlement on the urban physical environment settlement are objectives of the study. The research design of the study was cross-sectional study employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. To conduct this study, non-probability purposive sampling used to identify the target population; 795 households are the target population. The researcher selected 265 sample households from the total target population settled in an informal settlement in the study area. Probability simple random sampling is an appropriate to distribute the questioners to each individual household (illegal settlers) was chose. The researcher used both primary and secondary method of data sources. The data gathering instruments are questionnaires, interviews and observation. Based on the finding of the study the characteristics of informal settlement are uncertainty of land property right, unplanned occupation of the people and shortage of public facility in illegal housing. The causes for the expansion of informal settlement tare lack of complete lawful responses, informality of land tenure, educational level of the household heads ,high cost of recognized urban land market and cheap land market with the farmer and government financial problem. The impact of informal settlement on the urban physical environment was pollution and flooding. The consequences of informal settlement are economic destruction and health problems. Remedial actions to diminish informal settlement are settlement confirmation, high-quality control, settlement upgrading and relocation.