EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION PRACTICES IN PART OF MINNA METROPOLIS, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of environmental sanitation practices in part of Minna metropolis and environs in Niger State with a view to identifying the different environmental sanitation problems emanating from the level of adequacies of the amenities. The objectives are to: assess the knowledge of environmental sanitation among household in the study area, examine the environmental sanitation practices in the study area, examine the environmental sanitation facilities and services delivery in the study area and evaluate the effectiveness of environmental sanitation practices in the study area. Data used for the study were collected using two (2) instruments: questionnaire administration and field survey made by the researcher. The questionnaires were administered using the systematic random sampling technique whereby 399 respondents were sampled. Descriptive statistical tools were used for the study such as frequency percentage counts and charts. The study established that the majority 233(58.4%) of the respondents were male. It also revealed that most of the respondents had tertiary qualification with the highest percentage proportion 70%. The study indicated that households are knowledgeable about environmental sanitation with the aggregate mean score of 3.209 which is greater than the decision means score of 2.50. The respondents using pipe borne water regularly accounted for 68.2%, well water 66.7%, 63.7% use borehole water and two significant methods of water purification are boiling and use of chemical purifiers accounted for 46.4% and 13.5% respectively. The findings revealed that waste storage receptacles mostly used are bucket out of use representing 61.2% and jerry can 60.4% and the most prominent duration of waste storage before disposal is between 5˗7 days accounted for 40%.  It was established that the sanitation facilities among household with the proportions of buildings that have soak away pit, septic tank, waste water pit and drainage are77.7%, 9.5%, 74.7% and 77.4% respectively. The study also indicated that the effectiveness of environmental sanitation practices in Minna metropolis and environs are fairly effective with the aggregate mean score of 3.1 which is slightly greater than the decision mean score of 3.0. It was concluded that adequate and positive knowledge of environmental sanitation with good attitude and practices exist among households in the study areas. The study recommends that policymakers in government and non-governmental organizations should redesign a plan of action to maintain the positive knowledge, attitude, and practice of environmental sanitation among households in Minna metropolis and environs.