ABSTRACT.

The study was motivated by the necessity to establish the socio-economic determinants of ruralurban labour migration in Abia State and the effect on both source and destination areas. To solve the research problem both prrnary arid secondary data were coUected from a toiri of 120 resooncients constituting 12 communities from the 4 Local Government Areas purDoveiy selected out of the 3 Agricultural Zones of the State. The research instrument ued in collecting the data was the questionnaire and oral interviews. The respondents comprised 0 household heads or any reasonable member of the family. In analyzing the data collected, the Maximum Likelihood Profit Analysis as well as the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficients were used. Also tables, frequencies, percentages arid charts were employed. Keeping in line with existing literature, four (4) variables relating to the possession of human capital, commitment to job, place of residence arid cost related factors were identified as the possible determinants of migration. Some of the variables include ; Age of Husband, dwelling in urban area (URB) and number of children going to school (OHS). it was observed in general, that migrants iere selective especially in terms of age, number of schooling children, and residence as factors influencing their migration decision. In line with the findings, the researcher recommends decentralization of the economic and social sector of the economy by government and individual planners, from destination areas such as Abu, Umuahia and other cities to source or rural areas. This will create more job opportunities in the source areas, and bring about improvement in social amenities and basic facilities. With this in place, a re-orientation programme geared towards rural development should be enforced to encourage rural development by communities, as well as to ensure private sector participation