| dc.description.abstract | Small urban centres have been viewed as fulfilling both urban functions and some rural
functions. They are understood to be capable of coordinating development activities in the
rural areas through a set of social, economic and administrative linkages. To this end, most
countries, have adopted strategies consisting of development of planned network of
designated growth centres at different levels throughout the country so as to initiate impulses
of development and improve the quality of life in rural areas.
This study is nonetheless, hinged on the premise that small urban centres are not capable of
stimulating development in the areas where they are located. Special programmes for small
urban centres fail to address the social and economic aspects of development. For instance,
the provision of accessible urban centre, will not address the lack of land or lack of capital or
necessary resources to enable development to take place. In addition, most small urban
centres have weak economic bases, inadequate urban services and infrastructure facilities,
land tenure problems and low market capacity.
In order to get a clearer picture of the stated assumption and be able to make generalization,
the study used Awasi Urban Centre (AUC) as a case study and examined the effect of growth
of the centre on the social, economic and administrative development of the centre and its
peripheral umlands. The study relied on social and economic variables, such as business
activities within the centre and the umlands, agricultural activities, other non-farm activities
and provision of basic services such as schools, hospitals, water and the necessary
infrastructure. Even though the study found out that there is considerable potential role of
Awasi as a small urban centre, in regional development, its capacity to trigger this much
desired development is greatly influenced by its internal characteristics and that of the
surrounding umlands including the natural resource base, infrastructure, land ownership
patterns, social and economic activities at the local levels | en |
