Community environmental consciousness in Nigeria

Abstract

Assessment of community consciousness of environmental problems in Nigeria is at best incoherent, and incomplete. Two views, however, seem to predominate. First, there are those who speculatively believe that the vast majority of people are unaware of the magnitude of environmental problems confronting them and that only the better – educated and high income groups seem to be able to make a connection between the health of their family and environment in which they live. Second, there are those who through direct research surveys have come to some form of conclusion that ordinary people possess a substantial knowledge of the complexities of environmental problems besetting them and indeed make efforts to articulate and adjust favorably to them. In order to investigate this problem, one hundred copies of questionnaires were distributed to selected Government ministries, departments and agencies(MDAs), non-governmental organizations(NGOs) and community-based associations(CBAs) in two geo-political zones of south-south and south- east Nigeria. Respondents unanimously selected four of the six policy alternatives suggested for a solution to the environmental problems. These included: institutional policy and legal framework, capacity building and institutional strengthening, private initiatives and collaboration with international organizations. Whatever conclusion may be reached from these opposing views, one thing is certain and that is consciousness of environmental issues, especially pollution, is low and least understood in Nigeria.