The formation of informal settlements is increasing rapidly, especially in some developing economies such as the Port Harcourt Municipality in Nigeria. These settlements are vulnerable to several urban challenges from natural and anthropogenic disasters, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The landscape of Port Harcourt Municipality is inundated with the proliferation of informal urban settlements especially around its southern fringes, which has engendered these settlements to become vulnerable to the vagaries of any occurring disaster such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study attempts to unfold residents' lived experiences in these informal settlements to get the narratives of their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of forty-one (41) informal settlements were identified, out of which three (3) of those settlements (Okrika, Nembe and Ibadan) were selected purposively due to ease of accessibility, safety and spread around the municipality. The study adopted the qualitative approach by applying semi-structured interviews with key informants in these selected informal settlements. A total of nine (9) key informants were selected, with three (3) comprising the head of the community development committee (CDC), Youth and Women representatives from each settlement were interviewed. In addition, photographs of these selected informal settlements were taken to depict the characteristics of those settlements. Content analysis was used to analyse the outcome of the interviews. Some key findings include poor orientation of residents regarding disease spread, no effective urban renewal scheme to improve residents' quality of life, no proper planning of those settlements and residents were not included in the planning of those settlements. This study recommends proper enlightenment of residents regarding the management of disease spread. The provision of sustainable measures that will build resilience and adaptive capacities for the dwellers and continuous urban renewal schemes to ensure the provision of basic social infrastructure that would improve the residents' quality of life. However, the study concludes that the identification and characterisation of informal settlements will provide a better understanding and knowledge of the settlements as a resource to improve the social and economic conditions of the dwellers, distribution of infrastructural facilities and services, and wealth, thereby enhancing the quality of life and wellbeing of the residents and the general urban affairs as this will equally present opportunities for proper urban planning and management.

The study assessed the selected informal settlements on neighbourhood quality in the Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria, and the Quality of Life (QoL) lived by residents. The objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the residents of the selected informal settlements; identify the causes of informal settlements development in the study area; identify and assess the impact of informal settlements development on the neighbourhood quality of residents’ QoL lived; and identify physical planning measures to improve the neighbourhood quality and QoL of the selected informal settlements. The study adopted a quantitative approach and a descriptive research design. The study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques for the selection of two (2) settlements namely: Mgbushimini and Nkpor and one hundred (100) respondents were determined and sampled for the study using the Taro Yamane formula at a 10% precision level. The study found that the socio-economic characteristics of residents of the settlements are age bracket 39-48 years of adults and mostly married with an average of 4-5 persons per household. Educational qualification is mostly vocational education, employed temporary, casual and contract and engaged in trading/business and craft/technical. The development of these informal settlements is attributed to low rent, cheap land and free access to land. The buildings are permanent structures, rented apartments of rooming houses of 2-3 rooms as habitable spaces on average. The impacts are poor sanitary conditions, poor layout of buildings and a dirty environment. These conditions have made the residents rate their neighbourhood quality and QoL lived as mostly “fair”, “unsatisfied” and “very unsatisfied”. The study recommended that urban studies should be carried out on the settlements to ascertain the socio-economic characteristics of residents and where needs a priority for improvement, the government should declare the study area blighted and carry out urban renewal schemes to improve the physical, social, and economic conditions, basic urban infrastructure, facilities and services should be provided to improve residents’ access, neighbourhood quality and QoL lived.

Garbage management is an organised and systematic channelling of garbage through the pathway to ensure that they are disposed of with good public health and environmental safety. The study aimed to critically evaluate the garbage collection and disposal in Port Harcourt Municipality to achieve urban sustainability and management. The objectives are to identify the methods of garbage collection and disposal in the study area, evaluate the efficiency of the method of garbage collection and disposal in the study area, identify the challenges faced in garbage collection and disposal in the study area, and identify sustainable physical planning measures for the collection and disposal of garbage in the study area. The study employed a Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach and sequential explanatory design. The study employed stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The study identified 25 neighbourhoods in the study area and was grouped into three strata using a stratified sampling technique (high, medium, and low densities). 1 neighbourhood in each stratum (density) was selected randomly for sampling, including Diobu, D/Line and Old GRA, respectively. Taro Yamane’s formula was applied, and 100 respondents were selected for sampling using a simple random sampling technique. The study found that most garbage generated in the study area was plastic, metal/can, and paper/cartons stored in plastic bags, containers, and metals. The study revealed that garbage is collected by truck pushers/scavengers and government agencies and disposed of in designated authorised dumping sites, bush and burning. The study found that the strategies employed for garbage collection and disposal are efficient. The challenges faced in garbage collection and disposal from the study include indiscriminate dumping of garbage at unauthorised sites, non-compliance to schedule time for garbage disposal, lack of finance, inadequate human resources, and lack of an operational vehicle. Accordingly, the study recommends that; the waste management agency carry out a periodic survey of garbage collected and disposed of in their area of operation. The government should abolish the open dumpsite method of garbage disposal by households and eliminate indiscriminate dumping of garbage along streets. The waste management agency should ultimately adopt a house-to-house garbage collection in the neighbourhoods to achieve resource recovery and recycling and monitoring team that will ensure strict adherence to garbage collection and disposal regulations.

The apparent disconnect of different modes of transport in the Port Harcourt metropolis is causing difficulty in urban mobility among commuters. The study has assessed the integration of road and water transport systems to build a sustainable urban environment in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to identify the road and water infrastructure transport systems in Port Harcourt metropolis and their state of functionality, identify and examine the disconnect existing in the street and water transportation in the study area, identify the challenges facing the integration of road and water transportation in the study, and provide physical planning strategy to achieving the integration of road and water transport systems in the study area. The study adopted a Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach using a concurrent triangulation research design to obtain the relevant data and information that addressed the study aim and objectives of the study. In addition, the study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques, including the key informant method. A total of four hundred (400) commuters, fifty (50) each, were interviewed from six (6) major road corridors and two (2) jetties in Port Harcourt City (Aggrey, Trans-Amadi and Olu-Obasanjo Roads) and Obio/Akpor (Akpajo-Elelenwo-Oil Mill, NTA and Agip Roads) and two (2) jetties: Port Harcourt City (Bille/Bonny/Nembe Jetty) and Obio/Akpor (Feltaco Jetty). Some Key informants from the transport sector like the Rivers State Ministry of Transport (RSMT) staff Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning (RSMUDPP). Others are staff of the Rivers State Transport Company (RTC), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Rivers State Marine Transport Company, waterways transport operators, and Town Planners were among those interviewed. The study found potential for integrating road and water transport systems in the study area, and some of the infrastructures are obsolete and lack maintenance, thereby impeding interconnectivity and interlinkage between both systems. The study also revealed that government unwillingness to harness and develop the potential poor urban planning and management, and poor urban governance contribute to the disconnect of the road and water transport systems observed, affecting the quality of life and well-being of residents and poor urban sustainability. Thus, to improve the potentials and challenges identified, the study suggested that the government should develop an integrated transportation policy framework to enhance the integration of road and water transport systems. The government should upgrade and rehabilitate roads and water transportation infrastructure to improve intermodal connectivity and linkages for efficiency and effectiveness in the study area. The Public-Private Partnership approach should be developed and adopted in the planning and management of the transport sector in the study area; develop all waterways within the study area through canalisation and channelisation, and the government should adopt sound governance principles to involve all stakeholders of the transport sector.  

Climate change-related disasters have in recent years become a global phenomenon with catastrophic consequences. Africa has had most of the consequences of climate change related disasters, resulting in monumental urban and rural flooding, widespread casualties, displacements, loss of property and sources of livelihood. Given the long-term implications of climate change, it is critically important to understand how vulnerable communities respond to the menace occasioned by flooding. The impact of the flooding is felt more in low-lying communities situated along the coastal fringes leaving inherently vulnerable communities to the vagaries of flooding. However, despite of their vulnerability to flooding disasters, some people displayed resilience capacities more than others because of their apparent access to resources and power within and outside their localities. The study investigated the issue, through the application of the qualitative approach that drew the Bourdieusian theory of practice, deploying the analytical concepts of fields, habitus and species of capital to gather useful information from relevant focus groups to understand how various forms of power was employed to capture resources that enhanced resilience capacities in the seasonal flood prone Orashi region of Rivers State of Nigeria. Following the outcome of the analysis of the information gathered from the focus group and a review of relevant literature, it was revealed that most of the vulnerable population displayed some ingrained disposition and the deployment of indigenous knowledge and social capital for adaptation to survive flood disasters. It is therefore concluded that dynamics of power is a key factor in the resilience capacities of the population of the study.