Residents’ Adaptation and Management Strategies to Noise Pollution in Capital cities in south- south, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined residents’ adaptation and management strategies to noise pollution in capital cities in south-south Nigeria. The capital cities of the BRACED states which were Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar, Benin and Asaba are the study areas for the study. Primary data source involved the use of a well-structured questionnaire instrument. Residents across these capital cities constituted the study population whereby a sample size of 400 was determined from the study population of 2,727,790 as projected estimates from the 2006 population census. Descriptive statistics in form of Tables and maps aided the study in data presentation while the ANOVA, Post Hoc, Excel worksheet 2010 and SPSS version 24.0 statistical tools aided the study in statistical analyses for the study. Findings of the study revealed the major sources of noise pollution in capital cities as vehicular (85.3%), electric generating sets (89.3%), and entertainment/social activities (56.8%). Findings revealed that majority of adaptation and noise management strategies were not fully implemented in the study area by residents. Thus, strategies for reducing noise like engineering designs, provision of stiffer penalty by government, planned unit strategy and location and design strategies were only indicated by 11.4%, 9.3%, 4.8%, and 22.3% as adaptation and management strategies of noise pollution in the study area. For mitigation/control measures to combat noise among sampled residents showed that few respondents 80.3%, 57.1% and 90.5% agreed to adopting increasing use of solar panels, initiate choice of residential apartments and created dedicated quiet spots and locations. Residents’ adaptation and management strategies significantly vary across capital cities (F=2.967;p<0.05) showing that Calabar, Yenagoa, Asaba and Port Harcourt were more similar in their level of adaptation/management strategies against those investigated in Uyo, Benin, Calabar and Yenagoa. The study based on findings recommended amongst others that a noise Act is urgently needed to help control noise pollution in the study area; and residents need to understand the dangers of exposure to excessive noise pollution levels and channel their energy toward its management.