Environmental Adult Education Programmes Needed to Mitigate Pluvial Flooding In Aba of Abia State, Nigeria: An Empirical/Participatory Study (Published)
Pluvial flooding has been causing a lot of devastation in many parts of Abia State of Nigeria for several decades. The efforts made by government and the people of the State to mitigate the menace have been found wanting in many respects, including the lack of environmentally-oriented programmes. The purpose of this study was to identify and authenticate, through an empirical/participatory process involving residents in Aba North and Aba South Local Government Areas of Aba City (the study area) in Abia State, the causes and effects of pluvial flooding in the city, as well as the Environmental Adult Education (EAE) programmes needed to mitigate the causes and the effects. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Three Research Questions and a null hypothesis provided the guide. The population for the study was made up of 2,816 adult residents in Aba out of which a sample of 282 (10%) was selected (154 from Aba North and 128 from Aba South) through the proportionate random sampling technique. Percentages, means, standard deviation and the t-test were the statistical methods adopted. Based on the responses obtained through a questionnaire, five causes and seven effects of pluvial flooding in Aba were authenticated. Five comprehensive EAE programmes were equally identified and confirmed by the resident respondents as needed for mitigation of pluvial flooding in Aba. Appropriate recommendations on the expert development and provision of the needed EAE programmes have been made by the researchers.
Keywords: Environmental Adult Education, Mitigation, participatory study., pluvial flooding