NEIGHBORHOOD CITIZENSHIP PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT IN LAGOS STATE : THE ESTATE SURVEYORS

Sound environmental planning is in the interest of the society and as such those whose neighborhoods are being planned must be carried along through intensive participation as provided for in the existing environmental planning legislations. In the opinion of the general public, this is not seen to be entirely the case in Lagos State. Therefore, this paper is a study into existing planning legislations in Lagos State with emphasis on the opportunities provided for citizen participation. The paper attempts a critic of environmental planning approaches between and among the Town Planning Authority and land owning families in Alimosho Local Government Council Area of Lagos State to date. In-depth interviews were carried out between and among various built environment professionals and six land owning families in the study area. The study shows that land-owning families are only interested in how much they can realize from sale of plots of land as against establishing sustainable neighbourhoods. Land speculators still carry out estate layouts with impunity without complying with approvals earlier obtained from the Town Planning Authority as it affects the road width, plot sizes, etc. The study suggests the need to introduce environmental awareness education as early as nursery school to undergraduate levels in college. This is to ensure early awareness that could lead to active participation of the youth as they grow up to become community leaders, industrialists, academia, and other interest groups.