APPRAISAL OF THE FACTORS OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA
Abstract
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This study highlighted the pattern, and examined the factors of rural-urban migration in Southeastern Nigeria. The primary data for this study was generated through questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews. A total of 225 rural-urban migrants were administered with the questionnaire across the five states, five urban areas and fifteen rural Local Government Areas covered by this study. The data generated from the fieldwork were analyzed with descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and principal component analysis. Results of the study show that over 70percent of the migrants are males while over 80percent of them are also single or married. The analysis of variance shows that while some factors vary significantly across the study area in determining rural-urban migration, others do not. The principal component analysis reduced the factors to thirteen underlying components that together account for 68.95percent of the cumulative variance in the determinants of migration. These underlying components include migrating to look for job, to join spouse, and to further education. Based on the results of the study, recommendations such as the establishment of skills acquisition centers and provision of social infrastructures in the rural areas are made.
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KEYWORDS: Appraisal; Factors; Migration; Rural-urban; Southeastern Nigeria.
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