No abstract

<p>Across the developing world, informal small-scale mining is still growing in popularity, so are its significant socio-environmental burdens to the host communities. The assumption that understanding risk tolerance at small scale of mining is important to recommending effective planning approach, in mitigating its environmental impacts, and in promoting environmentally responsible oversight gave rise to this survey. Quantitative responses from a systematic random sampling of 506 residents of Ijero-Ekiti mining community (southwestern Nigeria) are presented with an emphasis on risk perception and management measures. By ranking 21 variables identified through an extensive literature review, residents’ tolerance index (RTI) and resident agreement index (RAI) are computed. The results suggest that while residents’ risk perception is largely motivated by socio-economic considerations brought about by a major surge in population growth in recent years, there is greater desire for an active public engagement and improved regulatory oversight. The conclusion highlights the value of local capacity building and increased awareness of less risky economic alternatives in successfully implementing long-terms solutions to risks associated with unsustainable mining practice at any scale.</p>

The study examined the quantity and quality of infrastructure in Ibadan, Nigeria with a view to using the information to provide policy guidelines for sustainable infrastructural development. Using stratified sampling technique, a total of fifteen wards from the five local government areas in Ibadan metropolis were selected for study. The selection of all the local government areas is based on the fact that all of them cut across all the residential zones in the metropolis and they all topologically converge at the center of the city. Primary data for the study were sourced through the questionnaire administered on 1,035 respondents (2% of household heads in all the residential buildings in the metropolis), using systematic sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data earned. Findings established that 93.14%, 92.27%, 75.07%, 68.99% and 68.02% of the residents had access to nursery/primary school, market, secondary school and mosque respectively. Moreover, while maternity center was accessed by 66.57%, communication facility was used by 58.16%. Although, library was available and accessed by residents, its usage was the least (5.22%) in the study area. The five facilities that residents were very dissatisfied with were waste disposal facilities, nursery/primary school, security/police post, recreational facilities and transport network. The study revealed that facilities such as water supply, restaurant, dispensary, drainage, electricity supply, waste disposal, and fire station, were insufficiently available in the study area. Thus, the study concluded that infrastructure facilities in Ibadan metropolis were poor.

The study examined road rehabilitation in Ibadan North East Local Government of Oyo State, Nigeria. The data used in this study was obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data was obtained through a reconnaissance survey and administration of the questionnaire. The reconnaissance survey is appropriate to establish the nature of an environment, event or situation before making decisions. The population for this study consists of all the residents available in Ibadan north local government. Both descriptive and thematic content analysis was employed in the analysis. Findings showed that rehabilitation (3.33) is the most desirable facility in the study area. Construction, maintenance, traffic management capacity building and street naming followed with 3.01, 2.56, 2.42, 2.28 and 2.12, respectively. The study concluded that compensation is an important factor that can enhance sustainable urban renewal programme, and therefore resident whose building was affected are to be compensated so that they could secure a better place for living or for their transaction.