An Assessment of the Sustainability of Resettlers Livelihood Assets in the Apo Resettlement Scheme of Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The Apo resettlement scheme was meant to resettle 874 households away from Apo, Garki and Akpanjanya villages to Apo resettlement town with a view that no resettler should emerge worse off than he was before resettlement. This study assesses the sustainability of resettlers’ livelihood assets in the scheme by assessing resettlers’ lost and compensated livelihood assets as well as their adaptation strategies for a sustainable livelihood. Intensive literature review helped in the selection of five livelihood capitals which include Human, Natural, Financial, Physical and Social for the sustainability assessment. About 25% of the household heads were interviewed through questionnaires that were adequately supplemented by direct field assessments of the living conditions of the resettlers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in analyzing the data which revealed that there is a significant difference between the lost and compensated livelihood assets of resettlers. The resettlers lost assets across the human, natural, financial, physical and social capitals: only two physical assets (i.e. plots and buildings) and a few social assets were restored to resettlers in the compensation scheme without any livelihood enhancement programme for resettlers. Lack of livelihood enhancement resulted in resettlers restructuring their buildings to hire tenants or selling off their buildings, petty trading and menial jobs among others as adaptation strategies. The study recommends a corrective measure for the Apo Resettlement scheme through immediate restoration of livelihoods and empowerment programs.