Evaluating Public Participation in a Project Plan Review: A Nigerian Case Study
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Rooted in national and international laws regarding project planning and implementation is public participation. However, it is unclear whether public projects are enabling sufficient public input or are likely to be able to meet future management planning needs; particularly in developing countries.
Purpose: We assessed people’s experiences when contributing to a public project decision-making in order to understand the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threat to effective public participation.
Setting: We conducted this assessment with a sample of people who contributed to a public project planning and review in a Nigerian city.
Intervention: Not applicable.
Research design: Appraisal criteria are based on the principles of public participation as laid down in the law and consists of the following elements: respondents’ profile, their involvement in the project; purpose of participation, availability of information, feedback mechanism and overall view of the participatory planning process. Information collected consists both quantitative and qualitative data and these were analysed using descriptive statistics and narrative techniques of reporting.
Findings: Findings show that public participation was far below the minimum requirement of the law and not demographically representative. The most important reason respondents participated was to protect an interest in land, although some saw participation as a democratic right. Results show that attending public hearings was the commonest way of participation in a project review. Nevertheless, three-quarters of the respondents thought the final plan did not take their observations and advice into consideration. Respondents confirmed that the process was reasonably notified with opportunities for consultation meetings. Nevertheless, findings suggest some bias actions as significant proportions of respondents held absence of transparency and political interference flawed the project planning and review process.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright and Permissions
Authors retain full copyright for articles published in JMDE. JMDE publishes under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY - NC 4.0). Users are allowed to copy, distribute, and transmit the work in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes, provided that the original authors and source are credited accurately and appropriately. Only the original authors may distribute the article for commercial or compensatory purposes. To view a copy of this license, visit creativecommons.org
References
Adediran, A. 2017: Dialectics of urban planning in Nigeria. 5th Urban Dialogue of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Lagos, 8 June.
Adedoyin, L. 2014: Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment: Case Study of Project in Lagos State, Nigeria. State Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos State-Nigeria: Working Paper, 32-37.
Adedoyin, L., 2014: Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment: Case Study of Project in Lagos State, Nigeria. State Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos State-Nigeria: Working Paper, 32-37.
Berardo, R., & Holm, F. (2018). The participation of core stakeholders in the design of, and challenges to, the US Clean Power Plan, Climate policy, 18(9): 1152-1164. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2018.1478792 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2018.1478792
Blackman R, 2003: Project Cycle Management. Tear fund. Teddington, England.
Duvic-Paoli, L.-A, 2012: The Status of the Right to Public Participation in International Environmental Law: An Analysis of the Jurisprudence. Yearbook of International Environmental Law, 23(1), 80-105. https://doi.org/10.1093/yiel/yvt062 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/yiel/yvt062
Ebbesson, J., 2007: Public Participation. In D. Bodansky, J. Brunnée & E. Hey (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law (pp. 681-703). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199552153.013.0029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199552153.013.0029
Hatley P.J, 2013: Preserving Place: A Ground Theory of Citizen Participation in Community-Based Planning, Ph.D., Thesis, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, USA.
Ho SS, Liao Y & Rosenthal S., 2015: Applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Media Dependency Theory: Predictors of Public Pro-environmental Behaviour Intention in Singapore. Journal of Environmental Communication; 9(1):77-99. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.932819 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.932819
Hunter, D. & Salzman, J. & Zaelke, D. (2007: International Environmental Law and Policy. New York, NY: Foundation Press.
IAP (International Association for Public Participation) 2006: Planning for effect public participation. International Association for Public Participation, Denver, CO, USA.
IAP, 2014: International Association for Public Participation. Journal of Public Deliberation.10 (2): 1-7.
James, B. 1990: Public participation in management planning: an investigation of participants' views and experiences. Science & Research Series 23. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
Jiman, C., 2017: Public Participation Efficiency in Planning for Urban Development in Bida, Nigeria. Ph.D. Thesis. Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University Teknologi Malaysia.
Jiman, C., Foziah B., & Zayyanu, M., 2016: Challenges Impeding Public Participation for the Development of Urban Communities in Nigeria, Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(46): 1-5. https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i46/107117 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i46/107117
Lemanski, C., 2017: Unequal Citizenship in Unequal Cities: Participatory Urban Governance in Contemporary South Africa. International Development Planning Review, 39(1): 22-56. https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.2017.2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3828/idpr.2017.2
Magee, Y., 2012: Public Participation in Local Governments' Urban Planning Processes and Decision-Making, Ph.D., Thesis. Walden University.
Magraw Jr., D. B. & Ruis, B. 2006: Principles and Concepts of International Environmental Law. In L. Kurukulasuriya & N. A. Robinson (Eds.), UN Environment Program Training Manual on International Environmental Law (pp. 23-38). Stevenage, UK: UNEP/Earthprint.
Marais, D. L., Quayle, M., & Burns, J. K, 2017: The Role of Access to Information in Enabling Transparency and Public Participation in Governance. African Journal of Public Affairs, 9(6), 36-49.
Maroula, A., Diofantos, H., Phaedon, K. & Konstantinos, S., 2016: Smart City Planning from a "Bottom-Up" Approach: Local Communities' Intervention for a Smarter Urban Environment. Conference paper, 1-12.
McCabe, M. P. 2016: Building Planning Consensus: The Plan of Chicago, Civic Boosterism and Urban Reform in Chicago 1893-1915. The American Journal of Economic and Sociology. 75 (1): 116-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12133 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12133
Muse, S. A., 2014: Military Rule: Consequences on Public Participation in Nigeria. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2 (3), 113-124.
Nabatchi, T. & Amsler, L. B., 2014: Direct Public Engagement in Local Government. American Review of Public Administration, 44 (45): 635-885. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074013519702 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074013519702
Neidhart, M. W. (2013: Participation: A Model of Individual Willingness to Participate in the Transportation Planning Process, Ph.D., Thesis, University of central Florida Orlando, Florida.
Nguyen Long A, Foster M & Arnold G (2019) The impact of stakeholder engagement on local policy decision making, Policy Sciences, 52:549-571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-019-09357-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-019-09357-z
Nguyen, T. V., Le, C. Q., & Tran, B.T., 2015: Citizen Participation in Urban Governance: Experience from Vietnam. Journal of Public Administration and Development. 35: 34-45. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.1702 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.1702
Nhlakanipho, S., 2010: An Investigation of Community Participation Trend in the Rural Development Process in Ngutu, Northern Kwazulu-Natal, Ph.D. Thesis, Faculty of Arts, Department of Social Work, University of Zulu Land, South Africa.
Ojigi, L. M., 2012: An Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Land Use Act 1978 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its Implications in Minna and Environs. FIG Working Week 2012: Knowing to Manage the Territory, Protect the Environment, and Evaluate the Cultural Heritage. Rome Italy, 6-10 May, 2012.
Oloyede, S. 2010: Neighbourhood Citizenship Participation in Environmental Planning and Management in Lagos State: The Estate Surveyor's View. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 12 (7), 186-195.
Richardson, B. J. & Razzaque, J., 2006: Public Participation in Environmental Decision-making. In B. J. Richardson & S. Wood (Eds.), Environmental Law for Sustainability: A Reader (pp. 165-194). Portland, OR: Hart Publishing.
Saladin, C. 2003: Public Participation in the Era of Globalization. In R. Picolotti & J.D. Taillant (Eds.), Linking Human Rights and the Environment (pp. 57-70). Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2vt04x7.9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv2vt04x7.9
Shelton, D., Bankobeza, S. & Ruis, B. (2006: Information, Public Participation, and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. In L. Kurukulasuriya & N. A. Robinson (Eds.), UN Environment Program Training Manual on International Environmental Law (pp. 79-90). Stevenage, UK: UNEP/Earthprint.
Teddlie, C. & Tashakkori, A., 2003: Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioural research. London: Sage Publications
United Nations Organization, 1978: Twentieth Report of the Administrative Committee on Coordination to the Economic and Social council, 24th Session, Annex III, Document E/2931, Oct 18.