Culture and land administration in an industrial environment : the residents' perception : case study of Warri Region, Nigeria
Abegunde, Albert A.
The study attempted to confirm the words of Tac-ll Lee (2000) that development (in African nations after Independence) has led to widening gaps between man and his natural environment, as well resulting in social cultural diversities and inequalities. Reconnaissance survey on the study in Warri Region, Nigeria revealed that major industries in the area were oil mining, oil servicing and petro-chemical establishments. Thus, populations in the study area were concentrated around the major industries located in settlements like Ugorodo, Koko, Opuekeba, Efurun and Warri Centre The study purposely sampled 1,205 houses located within a radius of 3kilometres to each of six industrial clustered zones in the region. Ten percent (120 respondents) of the household heads in the sample frame were systematically selected for questionnaire administration. Residentss Satisfaction Index (RSI) as reflected in Likertts (1961) scale was used to determine the impacts of industries on socio-cultural and economic variables that were directly related to land administration and management in the study area. Research revealed that almost all the respondents (99.2%) were Christians, with about half (57.5%) of them engaged in white collar jobs, while 82.5% of the household heads migrated and settled in Warri within 1980 to date. Despite the promulgation of the 1978 Nigerian Land Use Act (LUA) that vested ownership of land on the Government of the country, findings showed that 66.7% of the household heads indicated that they secured ownerships of land from indigenes through customary land tenure system (that is after the promulgation of the LUA in Nigeria). Similarly, 60% of the respondents agreed to have experienced conflicts on land in the area. Only 30.8% of the respondents indicated that the Nigerian Land Use Act of 1978 should be sustained. The RSI test revealed that the presence of industries had significant effects on socio-cultural variables relating to land than socio economic attributes on it in the study area. Residentss opinions on future industrial location identified preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), public participation and location of industries far from human environment as means to sustainable living in the area.
Event: 5th FIG Regional Conference for Africa : Promoting Land Administration and Good Governance
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