Sand-Digging and Soil Excavation as an Environmental Degradation Factor in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area,Ogun State:An Interrogation of the Appropriateness of Construction Technology in Nigera

摘要

This paper uses Polycentric Planning, an off-shoot of the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to interrogate the appropriateness of construction technology in sand-digging and soil excavation in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State. The paper found that the technology adopted in sand-digging and soil excavation for the purpose of road and housing constructions is inappropriate for clean technology. Thus, the processes of degradation of the communities studied have intensified in recent times due to uncontrolled urbanization. It was also found that the average depth of digging in three sites is 6 meters; the average distance of sites distance to nearest building is 9 meters; the average distance to the nearest stream is 750 meters; the average distance to the nearest road is 18 meters; and the average area covered by the dug sites is 4.6 hectares. The crude method of soil excavation is causing untold damages to private property and infrastructures such as roads, electricity poles, drainage, etc. Similarly, it was found that excavation activities have induced damages on the existing drainage pattern due to sediments discharge to adjacent water bodies with the implication of inducing flooding. Using Polycentric Planning and Poverty Reduction Strategy, this paper adopts an African Polycentric Sustainable Environment Model (APSEM) for restructuring decision making on environment to conserve and protect environmental resources. The model and the proposed new institutional mechanism would enable local people and professionals/practitioners in the built environment to have a robust dialogue with the local government officials in order to reposition urban councils to effectively manage urban environment and conserve natural resources