ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EXECUTION IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

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Rapid industrialization and population explosion has led to increasing need for building construction projects to either provide shelter or for business ventures in urbanizing areas. A survey research design which made use of questionnaire to elicit relevant information from the respondents comprise the people (residents and shop owners) domiciled where building construction projects are executed located in three (3) urbanising LGAs in Ibadan metropolis namely, Egbeda, Lagelu and Akinyele. A sample size of 384 was arrived at using surveymonkey sample size calculation for unknown population. The study revealed harmful effect of building constructions projects as “ecological impact” with grand Relative Impact Index (RII) value of 0.96(1st) posed to have most harmful effect from activities of construction firms in the study area. This is followed by that “pollution impact” having a grand RII of 0.94(2nd) and then “energy impact” with grand RII value of 0.92(3rd). The third objective on evaluation of steps taken by construction firms in abating the harmful effects of their construction activities in the study area reveals that the respondent are highly dissatisfied with mitigation measures put in place by the construction firms with mean item scores ranging from 1.27 to 2.48. The study’s hypothesis was retained, thus upholds that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) mitigations measure put in place by constructions firms do not have significant effect implementation of building construction projects as P-value of 0.396 at 95% significant level. The stud established that building construction projects have over time had major environmental impact in the study area causing significant destruction to the ecosystem, natural resources depletion and compromised public health hygiene. The study therefore recommends that huge fine and sanctions should be imposed on EIA report defaulters and ministry of environment should devise mechanism to ensure strict site monitoring to ensure enforcement of EIA report.