PLANNING RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOODS OF KADUNA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Having accepted professional responsibility for the physical environment, the city planner is thus accorded a key role as agent of human welfare. However, most of the Planning professionals are still found deficient in the promotion of equitable community wellbeing in terms of environmental quality, access to public utility and infrastructures, environmental rights, quality housing and public health. This is especially true in the Nigerian setting and many third world cities.Investigation is carried out in four high density neighbourhoods of Kaduna South Local Government; with the aid of carefully designed structured and semi-structured questionnaires. Sixty eight point eight percent (68.8%) of the households’ income was below N30, 000.00 per annum, an indication that per capita income of majority of the people was very low; this is in relation to World Bank’s revised international poverty line of $1.25 dollar a day. Findings also showed that 18.9% were attracted to their present habitation because of Social Ties, 40.4% because of Job Opportunity, 24.8% Affordability, and 15.8% Proximity to Work. Indices for rating the environment as deprived, include poor housing condition, poor environmental quality especially linked to pollution, poor physical planning, poor sanitary conditions and poor infrastructural facilities among others. Information gathered from Planning Consultants and relevant Environmental Planning Agencies/Departments also recapped these indicators. This paper presents the linkages between social and physical aspects of environment and examines how the activities of planning professionals determine the quality of life of vulnerable social communities. From the analysis and findings, it has been determined that the welfare of communities is hampered by disproportionate distribution of environmental benefits and hazards as well as non participation. In some cases, planning tools are used to perpetuate social discrimination, much as planning professionals’ not paying enough attention to surmounting these problems.This in no small way negates the view that planning decisions are programmed to meet the needs of the public. Integrating and enshrining Environmental Equity principles in the planning process is of key importance to enabling planning professionals satisfactorily meet their responsibility of influencing and ensuring community welfare.