THE POLITICS OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF OYO STATE
ABSTRACT
This study is to examine the influence of politics on solid waste management and identify all those political issues that have affected the management of solid wastes in some chosen local governments in Oyo state between 2011 and 2016. The objectives of the study are to examine the influence of economic, social, cultural and political factors on solid waste management in the state. The method of award of solid waste management contracts to Public Private Partnership (PPP) and to assess the ability of local governments in terms of finance to manage solid wastes. The study was also undertaken to evaluate the effects of politicization of solid waste management on the residents of Oyo state.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for the study with the use of both qualitative and quantitative data. The sample size was 400 and the instruments for collecting data were a self-designed questionnaire, interview guide and review of existing literatures. The study covers 6(six) local governments in Oyo state namely, Akinyele, Surulere, Ibadan North East, Orire, Ibarapa central and Ido local governments. These local governments cover the geo-political zones and cognisance was also taken of the low, medium and high density in terms of solid waste generation. Stratified sampling was used to divide the population into sub-groups while the respondents were selected in proportion of age, level of education, financial status and profession. 25 respondents were interviewed. ANOVA and regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses.
The findings indicated that Ho1:shows the joint effect of independent variables (Economic factor, Social Factor, Political Factor and Cultural Factor) to the prediction of the Effects of Politicisation of Solid Waste was significant. Also H02 shows in the table that there was significant relationship between Effects of Politicisation for Solid Waste Management and Ineffectiveness of Local Government to manage Solid Waste (r = .476*, N= 354, p<.05).
The conclusion reached from the results and finding is that there is politicisation in the solid waste management sector and it is having a negative effect in the performance of the sector. It was therefore recommended that political will is necessary for there to be effective performance of solid waste management in the state.
Keywords: Politics, Solid wastes, Solid Waste Management, Politicisation and Environment.