ASSESSMENT OF AKURE AIRPORT PERFORMANCE AND ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Previous researches have demonstrated several impacts of airports on the environment. This study focused on both the positive and negative impacts in Akure Airport on the surrounding communities with focus on the employment created within the airport. Primary and secondary data were collected; primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires from forty (40) respondents whom were residents of Akure airport region, using a purposive sampling technique, while data such as from FAAN and NAMA were collected through secondary methods. From the finding, out of the three negative externalities observed, two externalities (housing prices and noise pollution) appeared to need urgent attention, while the emission of CO2 is not really felt. The findings showed that the noise pollution is, indeed, negative impacts and shows that the farther away is the airport, the higher the housing prices. Also the findings showed that there is a positive correlation between airport performance and community development; r =0 .681, n = 40, p < 0.001. This implies that as operational performance of the airport increases, the economic development around the airport also increases thereby bringing about more economic improvement within and around the airport community.