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Youth advocacy for efficient hostel management and affordable university students’ housing in Buea, Cameroon

Clarkson M. Wanie (Department of Geography, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon)
Emmanuel E.E. Oben (Department of Geography, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon)
Jeff Mbella Molombe (Department of Geography, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon)
Ivo T. Tassah (Department of Geography, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon)

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis

ISSN: 1753-8270

Article publication date: 6 February 2017

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Abstract

Purpose

Given the importance of hostels to students’ welfare and academic performance and recognition of the roles youths can play for affordable university housing, this study aims to investigate hostel management problems in the Buea Municipality, an educational hub in the South West Region of Cameroon. It explores potentials for youth advocacy for affordable university housing within the process of efficient hostel management.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through a descriptive survey design from May to July 2015 via reconnaissance surveys, field observation, photographs, administration of questionnaires to hostel tenants (students) and interviews with hostel managers and law enforcement officials. The data have been presented and analysed using descriptive statistical techniques involving frequency tables, charts and percentages. Cartographic techniques have also been used to locate the study area.

Findings

It was found that hostel management problems in Buea stem from flaws arising from both hostel managers (landlords and/or caretakers) and hostel tenants (students) in contravention to affordable student housing and good governance principles of rent control, accountability, transparency, equality, participation and fairness. The notable hostel management problems found are indiscriminate rent increase, lack of transparency in billing and non-functional sub metres and non-refund of caution deposits by hostel managers, as well as violation of hostel rules, damage of hostel facilities and “selling of rooms” by hostel tenants.

Originality/value

This paper contends that youths have to be mainstreamed in the hostel management process with better platforms of advocating for affordable university students’ housing through rent control and other good governance practices in their hostel setting. It is hoped that the proposed efficient hostel management system and mainstreaming youth-led advocacy activities in affordable university students’ housing will go a long way to enhance students’ welfare and academic performance, help in rent control, fight against bribery and corruption and other governance problems.

Keywords

Citation

Wanie, C.M., Oben, E.E.E., Molombe, J.M. and Tassah, I.T. (2017), "Youth advocacy for efficient hostel management and affordable university students’ housing in Buea, Cameroon", International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 81-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHMA-01-2016-0012

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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