An Examination of Peoples’ Awareness and Response to Environmental Pollution in Benin Municipality, Nigeria

Abstract

An examination of peoples’ awareness and response to environmental pollution in Benin Municipality, Nigeria was investigated. The questionnaire instrument was utilized in the survey. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were administered at five randomly selected areas in five selected wards in May 2010. Analysis was carried out using simple percentages and frequency tables. The three most serious types of environmental pollution were listed as noise (35%), air (26%), water (20%) and land (18%). Street flood scored 59%, flood pondages recorded 37%, while river flood scored 4%. The causes of flooding includes: insufficient drainage facilities to cope with excess rainfall (30%), excessive rainfall (28%), building along drainage pathways (30%), while concreting of urban surfaces was 12%. The concepts of environmental pollution, protection and preservation and the involvement of the respondents have not been fully understood by majority of the respondents.