Industrial Activities and Sustainable Development in Ninth Mile Corner Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract

Industrialization is the social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one. Despite the fact that the presence of industries has given rise to purchasing power, it has resulted to adverse effects. The study was aim to highlight negative environmental, social and economic effects of industrial activities in Ninth Mile Corner, Enugu with a view to suggesting ways of adopting sustainable development. The study adopted a survey design. The study used convenience, stratified and quota sampling techniques. Convenience sampling was used on the selection of residents. A total of 183 industries were identified in the study area and were stratified into micro/cottage, small, medium and large industries and 10% of each stratum was selected randomly. Two different sets of questionnaire were used in this study; one set to the residents and the other set to the industrial administrative officers. A total of 620 copies of the questionnaires were distributed in this study. Five hundred and eighty copies of questionnaires were distributed to the residents; 451 were properly filled and returned and thus used for the study. Forty questionnaires were distributed to the selected industrial administrative officers and workers; thirty questionnaires were properly filled and returned and thus used for the study. Cronbach Alpha was used to test reliability of the instrument and it gave a correlation of 0.766. Principal Component Analysis and Chi-Square (X2) were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significant level.Physical conditions of the industrial sites are heated atmosphere, noise pollution, environmental health effect and mental disturbasnces on the environment. The negative effects of industrial activities on the residents of Ninth Mile Corner were identified and classified as follows: Psychosocial effect 14.60%, Urban decay 12.33%, Industrial problems 11.49%, Standard of living 9.22%, Job situation 5.74% and high cost of land 4.98%. Negative physical and socio-economic effects of industrial activities on the environment were identified and classified as follows: Dental and socio-economic problems 24.19%, Physic-social effect 20.67%, psycho-economic 15.04%, Occupational health 14.82%, Decrease in education 8.80%, House rent 6.30%. There was a significant relationship (p < 0.05) between the physical conditions of industries and their respective negative effects on the environment. The researcher hereby recommend enlightenment programme as it affects sustainable development. All the industries are to be monitored so that every one of them must be making use of the government approved disposal site in disposing of their wastes. There is need for constant innovations to be going in all the industries to ensure that the adjudged wastes of the industries are raw materials of another. The study therefore highlighted among others that if the above recommendations are made, sustainable development will be achieved in the industrial sector of Ninth Mile Corner Enugu.