STATUS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY IN NIGERIA– A CASE STUDY OF BENIN METROPOLIS

摘要

Edo State is home to over three million persons with Benin City, her state capital, housing morethan a million persons and generating over 400,000kg solid waste per day. Solid waste iscurrently disposed off indiscriminately in Benin metropolis hence it constitutes a great nuisanceand creates a breeding ground for pests and pathogens in the metropolis. The Edo Stategovernment in the past few years has made effort in policy formulation and funding in line withthe national policy on the environment to resolve the solid waste problem in the state particularlyin the state capital Benin City, but the effort has not yielded good result. Hence, we propagatedthat there are some salient problems bedeviling the waste management sector that whenaddressed have the capacity to resolve the waste management problems and improve on the wellbeingof the citizens.The work reported in this paper involves a study of the waste management policy frame work inEdo state and Benin metropolis. It utilizes a qualitative approach – the use of questionnaires anddirect interview to collect primary data on the current status of waste management policy inNigeria with a look at the existing constitutional provisions, policy framework, policyimplementation and constraints to policy implementation in Benin metropolis.Results obtained showed that there are inadequate resources – human and material, poor funding,inadequate facilities and inadequate technology. At the core of solid waste management in Beninmetropolis, there is the lack of adequate and efficient policies, efficient legislation and poorawareness on proper waste disposal. Considering the findings of this work there is need to put inplace an effective and efficient solid waste management policies. The formulation andimplementation of effective solid waste management policies require a holistic approach that will integrate coherent policies, proper implementation and all socio-cultural, economic,psychological and techno structure inherent in Benin metropolis.