The Effect of Deforestation on the Economic Activities of the Inhabitants of Abaji Area in Abuja. Nigeria (Published)
ABSTRACT: This research work is aimed at the effects of deforestation on the economic activities of the inhabitants of Abaji area in Abuja. The study employed a mixed research strategy in the collection, analysis and presentation of findings. The tools of data collection include administered questionnaires and participant observation and reconnaissance survey carried out in the study area to gather baseline information which would aid the design of the study. Information accessed during the visit includes the baseline report on problems encountered with deforestation in Abaji area. Personal interview was conducted to some selected individuals living in Abaji area wards such as agricultural officials or extension workers, farmers, household heads, fuel wood seller and people working at the timber sheds. Questionnaires based on socio-economic characteristics of the households were administered. The questionnaire was administered to meet the stated objectives of the study. Six (6) wards were sampled using stratified random sampling technique. In this situation, the Area Council was stratified into North, Central and Southern zones. 140 households were sampled. Out of 300 respondents sampled in this study, 67.3% are male while 32.7% are females. Most respondents interviewed had some form of education indicating that there is generally fairly literacy level among them except for 9% that have no formal education. The result of the study has clearly indicated that the occupation distribution of 51% of the respondents is farming. Apart from farming, other forms of occupation such as driving, tailoring, lumbering and trading constitute 28% of the response obtained. On the other hand, gathering of fuel wood, collection and gathering of medicinal plants, collection of wild fruits and nuts, collection of wild vegetables, and gathering of fodder, marketing of bush meat etc. constitute 22% respectively. By implication, this means that the bulk of the responses are directly involved in activities that cause deforestation. The study recommends that deforestation effects could be ameliorated by promulgation of government policies that regulate the use of forest products, dissemination of information on forest, environmental sustainability issues, and education on aforestation in order to improve and maintain farmlands, since agriculture has been implicated as one of the primary causes of deforestation, there is need to adopt farming systems that encourage conservation tillage. This should include introduction of organic farming method, hydroponics, greenhouse gardens, slash and char rather than slash and bum, as well as alley farming in which crops are interspersed with small trees.
Citation: Mogborukor J.O., Tukura E.D., Elijah E. (2022) The Effect of Deforestation on the Economic Activities of the Inhabitants of Abaji Area in Abuja Nigeria, International Journal of Physical and Human Geography, Vol.10, No.1, pp.30-47
Keywords: Abaji, Abuja, Deforestation, Nigeria, economic activities
Livability Correlates of High Rise Buildings in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos, Nigeria (Published)
Owing to the continuous compaction of cities and mega cities through indiscriminate proliferation of high-rise buildings, this research investigates the livability correlates of high-rise buildings in Eti-Osa. Nearest Neighbour Analysis was used to explain the spatial pattern of the high rise buildings. Chi square was used to explain the spatial variation in land uses within high-rise buildings. Independent two-sample t-test was used to explain the spatial variation in livability. Principal component variant of factor analysis was used to generate linear composites of Relative Livability Quality Index (RLQI) while Multiple Linear Regression Analysis was used to explain the relationship between the incidence of high-rise buildings and the RLQI of the study area.High-rise buildings were clustered in the area (Rn = 0.622). There is spatial variation in land use within high-rise buildings (p = 0.000). Livability is moderately high in the study area with basic facility index of 57.8%, cost of living (88.9%), property value (86.1%), sense of safety (80.0%) and neighbourhood quality (62%). There is no spatial variation in residential livability quality (T = 0.880, p = 0.400). There is a reliable relationship between the incidence of high-rise buildings and residents’ livability (R = 0.797; p = 0.036). The study concludes that high-rise buildings have a high propensity to increase livability due to the proximity of facilities it offers. Thus, environmentally friendly green building approach to high-rise buildings and strict enforcement of development control laws was recommended.
Citation: Akindele O. A., Oguntola B. K., Alabi F. M., Odetoye A. S., Bello M. K., (2022) Livability Correlates of High Rise Buildings in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos, Nigeria, International Journal of Physical and Human Geography, Vol.10, No.1, pp.1-17
Keywords: Nigeria, high-rise building, high-rise uses and livability, skyscrapers
Curtailing Illegal Mining Operation in Nigeria (Published)
Nigeria as a nation is blessed with relevant resources of solid mineral that have the capacity to lure investors and business investments to enhance growth economically in the nation. These resources go from Copper, Columbite, Iron, Tin, Gold, Diamond, and so on.Unfortunately, this resource gifts is being underplayed by continuous unlawful mineral mining by people including nationals of other countries, believed to be financed by illegal investors. The Nigerian government may have lost billions of naira in years, owing to unlawful and unjust activities of operators in her mineral sector. Unlawful and unlicensed mineral mining started getting obvious immediately after Nigeria got independence in 1960. The federal government primarily own mining rights but it releases licenses for exploration work, mineral mining and its sales. Where there is no adequate policy, unlawful mineral mining continues unchecked federal government may lose royalties and revenues accruable to it. This paper presents the loopholes and the ways to curtail the activities of illegal mining of minerals in Nigeria.
Keywords: Government, Minerals, Mining, Monitoring, Nigeria, Reform, foreigners, illegal, license, mining rights, services
Assessment of Built Environment Quality in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria (Published)
The interactions between man and environment determine both the quality of environment and as well as the quality of life that man lives. The feedback mechanisms of the interactions between man and environment are directly proportional. The increase in the number of urban dwellers is no more novel as over 50% of the world population resides in urban centers. This continuous and accidental increase in the number of urban dwellers with respect to their actions in the environment has played significant roles in the depletion of the quality of the environment. Since human health or wellbeing depends on the quality of his immediate environment, the focus on environmental quality emerged as a key area for research in urban and regional planning. This paper appraises the quality of the built environment in a steadily urbanizing traditional settlement in Ogbomoso North Local Government, Nigeria using selected environmental quality indicators while necessary recommendations are put forward to rejuvenate sickening built environment.
Keywords: Built, Depletion, Environment, Health, Human, Nigeria, Quality, Urban
Green Building for Nigeria Public Institutions towards Effective Administration of Public Properties: A Case Study of Military Barracks and Police Stations in Anambra State, Nigeria (Published)
Despite the huge environmental and energy problem in Nigeria/designers have not seen the need for a shift from their traditional method of designing buildings. This study proposes the adoption of green building concept for Nigeria public institutions as a way of enhancing effective administration of public properties, with reference to military barracks and police stations in Nigeria. observations as a primary source of data was used to gather information’s because of the military and police headquarters in Anambra state refused to grant interviews. Secondary data sources was also used. Findings/observations made from the study showed that the barrack buildings and premises including some part of the premises need renovation urgently. It was also found out that due to poor electricity supply, households of police officers and their offices resort to informal power supply which contributes to global warming. The paper recommends that there is need for a holistic adoption of green design either in new or old building as lack of it has been observed to be adverse to efficiency in buildings and environmental sustainability in Nigeria, most especially public institutions.
Keywords: Effective Administration, Green Building, Military Barracks, Nigeria, Police Stations, Public Institutions, Public Properties
Assessment and Control Measures of Flood Risk in Ajibode Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (Published)
Flood is one of the major factors that prevent Africa’s population from escaping poverty level. The most hit by flood are usually urban poor who have less choice, but to end up living in flood prone areas. Ravaging flood events in Nigeria can be dated back to 1963 in Ibadan city, when Ogunpa River was over-flown causing loss of lives and properties. Many factors have been attributed as the resultant factors leading to floods in literature. This study thus assesses flood risk and its control measures in Ajibode area of Ibadan, Oyo state, while appropriate recommendations are made in order to reduce flood risk in the study area. In order to achieve this, questionnaires were administered through random systematic sampling technique to the household heads of 216 buildings from 720 buildings as the sampling frame of the study. Chi-square test reveals significant relationships between annual house rent and monthly income of the respondents with their vulnerability to flood with p-values of 0.00 and 0.04 respectively.
Keywords: Channelization, Control, Flood, Hazard, Measures, Nigeria, Risk, Urban, river
Spatial Inequality in Development: A Case Study of Anambra State, Nigeria (Published)
This work examined the spatial inequality of development in the twenty one Local Government Areas of Anambra State. To determine the extent of the inequality in state’s development service, Gini co-efficient procedures, factor analysis and cluster analysis procedures were employed. The data used were collected on 17 variables indexing various aspects of development for the 21 Local Government Areas. From the Gini co-efficient analysis, using the 17 original development indicator variables, the result shows that there are inequality in health, M.D.G water, and transportation variables. With the composite standard deviate, several patterns of inequality were revealed. Development is found to be continuous in scale among the areas, and the areas can be categorized into different groups; but on the basis of the technique of analysis adopted, a structure of privileged and under privileged areas were revealed. Eleven out of the 21 Local Government Areas were privileged while 10 areas were deprived. Six variables with eigen-value greater than unity were extracted from the factor analysis. Six variables explained about 78.16 percent of the variation in the original variables. It shows that 4 Local Government Areas have a comprehensive development while many other areas are deprived in terms of development. Conceptually, development is seen in terms of social and economic opportunities available to a community for its welfare and progress. The principles of equity and social justice therefore form the bases of determining the relative privilege or under-privilege of a unit area in the overall development of the study area. From the cluster analysis result, it shows that while the privilege group exhibits random pattern, the underprivilege group has some tendency towards clustering.
Keywords: Community, Development, Nigeria, Social Justice, Spatial Inequality
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY NEEDS IN NIGERIA (Published)
Solar energy technology and development in Nigeria is still at its rudimentary stage. The population is very optimistic that solar energy would offer a great alternative to the nation’s overall energy needs. Nigeria is well located within the humid tropics and equatorial axis with abundant sunshine, high radiation intensity, vast open spaces for areal energy capture and great opportunities for solar energy technologies. Experiences from some advanced countries of the world like USA, Australia, Germany and Switzerland indicate that a solar energy plant is capital intensive and requires large areas of capture. Solar energy, as a renewable natural energy resource offers mankind with variety of direct and indirect solar energy technologies. The direct solar energy varieties include photovoltaic and solar thermal, among others, while the indirect solar energy varieties include hydropower, wind power and so on. In general, the country is in great need for solar energy varieties for her domestic, commercial, educational, agricultural and industrial energy needs.
Keywords: Energy Technology, Environment, Nigeria, Solar
Bringing Designers And Cliatologst Together: The Nigerian Experience (Published)
This paper examines the problems related to the efficient and effective application of meteorology/climatology planning and design. The paper begins by discussing the lack of mutual understanding between climatologists and designers for examples as regards (a) the lack of agreements on basic definitions and concepts in the application of meteorology/climatology (b) the need to establish practical procedures for the application of meteorological knowledge and data during the successive stages of planning, designs and construction and (c) the need for close co-operation between meteorologists and building professional. The paper then examine the wide range of applications of meteorological knowledge to planning and building design and the very large market for meteorological services which can be tailored to the needs of planning and building industry with illustrations for the tropical urban centers in genera] and West Africa and Nigeria urban centers in particular. The paper also discusses the promotions needed to achieve cooperation and collaboration between meteorologists and designers with illustrations from the activities of the Climatologists in Nigeria in general and the Climatologists Research Group at the University of Lagos in particular. Examples of such activities being carried out by the Climatologists Research Group in University of Lagos include (a) exchange of knowledge through publications especially of the African Climatologists Research Series established by the Group (b) assisting in the provision of Climatological data and in the application of the meteorological/climatological data is design (c) organized seminars on topics which involves application of the meteorological and climatological data (d) promoting the involvement of-’ planners and designers in the activities of the Nigerian Meteorological Society (e) serving as a linkage between the Development of the Nigerian Meteorological Services and planners and designers especially in the University of Lagos. The paper finally discusses the key issue in the ability to apply n-meteorological/climatological data to planning and designing such issues discussed include (a) effective co—operation between climatological and designers research and development. (b) Development of appropriate data banks network of observations appropriate data processing methods promotion of education and training and (c) encouraging and assisting planners and designers in attending relevant workshops and conferences related the application of meteorological/climatological data in planning and designs.
Keywords: Climatologist, Designers, Nigeria
Proper Dissemination of Information on Climate Change: A Comparative Study of the Roles of Official and Indigenous Language in Nigeria (Published)
This study compares the roles of official and indigenous languages in Nigeria for proper dissemination of information on climate change. Questionnaire was used for data collection. A total of 130 questionnaires were distributed to civil servants in Ibaji Local Government Council of Kogi State, Nigeria to seek their opinions on the proper information flow on climate change in the country through official or indigenous languages. Out of 130 questionnaires distributed, 125 of them were completed and returned. A quantitative analysis was adopted to compare the roles of official and indigenous languages in Nigeria for proper dissemination of information on climate change based on the returned questionnaires from our respondents. The result show that although both official and indigenous languages in Nigeria play significant roles in proper dissemination of information on climate change, people prefer information disseminated to them in their native language(s) to the one giving to them in the official language (English). It is also discovered that most people at the grassroots, especially the illiterates, are yet to be properly informed about the implications and management of climate change and this is due to lack of proper awareness through their indigenous language(s). Dissemination of information on human and environmental challenges such as climate change should, therefore, be done in the indigenous language(s) of the people.
Keywords: Climate Change, Information, Language, Nigeria