A REVIEW OF THE TREE PLANTING COMPONENT OF THE IMO STATE CLEAN AND GREEN PROGRAMME IN OWERRI, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper reviews the tree planting component of the Imo State Clean andGreen Programme implemented 16 years ago. This is done in the context of publicparticipation and inter-regime sustainability. Using the case of Okigwe Road Owerri, thepaper aims at establishing how much observed outcome conforms to the expectation ofinterspaced trees lining roadways after 16 years of programme implementation. The role ofparticipatory appraisal, appropriateness of programme design elements, aesthetics in publicconsciousness and tree damage and destruction were investigated and the study was guidedby Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, Shwartz norm activation theory andEnvironmentally Responsible Behaviour theory of Hines and others. A survey of 133randomly selected stakeholder including business owners, roadside artisans along the plantedroadway and the general public was carried out using a structured questionnaire. Spearman’srank correlation (P) coefficient showed among others that acceptance of the type of trees usedin the programme is positively related to a strong opinion to replace disfigured and cut trees.Pearson’s chi-square showed only 18.6 percent chance of obtaining the collected data if thenull hypothesis were true. The null hypothesis that there is no significant association betweenreasons the trees are disfigured and considerations made to allow the trees’ survival wastherefore affirmed. The results reflect indifference to tree planting outcomes in the publicowing largely to public non-participation and non-involvement from project design toimplementation. The need for public participation in design and execution of governmentenvironmental projects is highlighted by the paper.