Evaluating the Quality of Public Participation and Its Effectiveness in Environmental Impact Assessment of Road Infrastructural Projects in Nigeria

Aliyu, Ibrahim

Abstract

Nigeria has witnessed substantial growth in its road networks due to an expanding population, with road transportation serving as the primary mode for passenger and freight movements. However, this growth has brought challenges related to the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), lack of public participation in planning and execution, and inadequate commitment to sustainable policies, resulting in negative environmental and social impacts on communities and protests.
The research identifies the lack of studies assessing the effectiveness of public participation based on the achievement of set objectives within the consultation process in Nigeria. To fill this gap, the study evaluates public participation effectiveness based on four dimensions: procedural, substantive, transactive, and normative effectiveness. The research adopts a case study approach, wherein data is collected through questionnaires, interviews, and reviews of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). The collected data analysis was performed using SPSS and NVivo software tools.
The assessment reveals a failure to achieve policy efficiency across all dimensions. There are issues with consultation techniques, feedback mechanisms, access to information, engagement with affected parties, and notification and publication techniques, leading to procedural problems. The quality of EIS reports is consistently poor with no improvement over time. The substantive efficiency is lacking in mitigating negative impacts and adhering to EIA objectives. The normative dimension exhibits undemocratic characteristics, with limited openness to participants' views and access to environmental rights, and inadequate representation of community interests. Transactive efficiency suffers due to unequal treatment in partnerships and collaboration primarily with government-related agencies, leaving insufficient time for community concerns and causing significant project delays.
The public participation process deviates from effective principles, falling short of active partnership and remaining at a lower end of Arnstein's ladder, where participants lack the ability to influence significant social reforms. Notably, Case Study 2 (Nasarawa Toto - Abaji Road) shows relatively better effectiveness in the process compared to the other case studies, but overall, policy efficiency is not achieved in any of the case studies. To enhance public participation in the EIA decision-making process, proactive measures are necessary, including greater transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement throughout the process.

Citation

Aliyu, I. (2024). Evaluating the Quality of Public Participation and Its Effectiveness in Environmental Impact Assessment of Road Infrastructural Projects in Nigeria. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 21, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 27, 2024
• Award Date: Mar 26, 2024