ACCESSIBILITY AND HOUSING NEEDS OF PARAPLEGICS IN ENUGU CITY-NIGERIA

It is apparent that paraplegics have peculiar accessibility and housing needs as a result of their physical condition or impairment. These needs are significant to their economic, social, psychological and physiological state. Unfortunately neither houses that accommodate the needs of these paraplegics nor useful information on how to create it has been widely available in Enugu city. Worst still is that it seems as if no accessibility provisions were made for them in the design and construction of public buildings which include churches, banks, libraries, etc. This work investigated the extent to which the accessibility and housing needs of chair-bound paraplegics in Enugu city have been met. The aim was to provide ideas that will help alleviate the challenges they encounter in accessing public places and also facilitate the integration of their housing and accessibility needs into the sustainable planning program in Enugu city of Nigeria.