PLANNING, DECISION MAKING AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN HOUSING PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA
PLANNING, DECISION MAKING AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN HOUSING PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA
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Date
1983-06
Authors
AYODEJI, FOLAJOGUN V.
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Abstract
A recent interest has been developed towards the
participation of the public in programmes and decisions
that affect them. In Nigeria, decision making in housing
is centralised. This centralised nature of planning and
decision-making process do not encourage the participation
of the people being planned for. Basically, the approach
negates the fundamental principle on which planning is
based - 'Public Interest'. Public's needs, wants, preferences
and requirements are not properly identified or
often neglected before plans are prepared. The people
are therefore not satisfied with housing programmes.
The research evaluates the role of public participation
in housing programmes and its decision making process, and
tests the validity of the fundamental assumptions underlying
public participation in relation to housing. It establishes
among other things reasons why there is lack of public
participation in housing process and decision making. These
problems as established from the results of the test of
hypotheses include lack of trust for the planners and the
decision makers as to their role as the custodian of the
people's interest. The people participate only when
personally affected by housing and its related programmes.
Their attitude towards participation is generally discouraging.
The people are not properly informed about what
planning means. Channels for communicating the people's
views and opinions to the decision makers and vice versa are
not adequate and efficient.As part of proposals, models have been developed for
improving the existing centralised housing process and
integrating public participation with housing process and
decision making. In this model instead of centralisation,
a decentralised organisation is suggested.
The second model integrates public participation with
housing process. Various stages of the process where direct
and indirect participation are essential and where the decision
makers and the planners should be the sole actors are
highlighted. The feedback is communicated between the two
groups of participants, hence facilitating coordination
and integration of the various actors and activities in
housing, consequently fostering participation. The other
recommendations include educating the people on what planning
is meant to achieve by employing Charrette technique;
enlighting them on the valuable role their involvement in
housing process and decision making plays; and making
efficient channels of communication available to facilitate
a two-way dialogue between the decision makers and the
planners on the one hand, and the people on the other. The
concept of metaplanning is also recommended whereby the
people's needs, wants, preference, socio-ecomomic and cultural
values are identified in order to make housing programmes
responsive to its users.
Folajogun V. Ayodeji
Description
thesis Submitted to the Postgraduate School,
Ahmadu Bello University, in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of Science
(Urban and Regional Planning)
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
Faculty of Environmental Design,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
June, 1983
Keywords
PLANNING,, DECISION MAKING,, PUBLIC,, PARTICIPATION,, HOUSING,, PROGRAMMES,, NIGERIA