Assessment of Residents’ Socio-demographic Factors Associated with Visit to Green Infrastructure Facilities in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized ABSTRACT Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized.