The Relevance Of Policy And Practice On SanitationudEffort In Developing Nations: The Experience Of A Semi-UrbanudCity In South-West Nigeria

摘要

Inappropriate waste management and poor sanitation practices have become major concerns in manyuddeveloping countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this study are to appraise the relevanceudof institutional policy and practice on sanitation effort with the case study of a semi-urban city inudSouthwest Nigeria. The study involved the assessment of procedures and techniques available inudwaste collection, treatment, disposal practices and compliances with institutional rules and regulations.udThe survey involved the use of structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, on-site observationsudand focus group discussions in the various local communities and villages drawn across the 16 wardsudof the municipality. The data assessed captured social demographic-, housing-, socio culturalcharacteristics,udsanitation and hygiene behaviour and problems with poor water and sanitation. Bothudquantitative and qualitative techniques in data collection and analysis were utilized as mainudinstruments. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software application was employedudfor the purpose of analysis. Responses collected were coded using a linkert scaling procedure. Theudprocedure combines descriptive analysis and bivariate regression estimation in arriving at the resultsudobtained. Results of the study showed that there is no connection between institutional policies andudthe people's sanitation practices in the communities and more so, the management practices in mostudcommunities expose the inhabitants to unnecessary health risks. This has put a challenge onudsanitation effort at reaching the Millelium Development Goal (MDG) target. It is thereforeudrecommended, that a sustained cooperation be developed among all key actors (government, wasteudmanagers, public health workers and inhabitants) so as to implement an economic, sustainable, safeudand reliable sanitation strategy and practices. This should not only be limited to legislation and policyudformulation but also in its monitoring and enforcement. In addition, there is need for sensitizing theudgeneral public and raising their awareness level on environmental risks associated with poor sanitationudpractices.