Assessing Public Awareness on Strategic Impact of Environmental Education, Laws and Policies on Environmental Sustainability in Coastal Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Environmental problems and it allied issues are national topics of discourse in Nigeria particularly, among the environmentalists, owing to the contribution of environmental resources to economic, growth, development of Nigeria   and healthy living of Nigerians; thus, necessitated this study. Descriptive survey research design was used. The population of the study comprised, people in coastal areas Ondo State, Nigeria (Ilaje and Ese-Odo   Local Governments Areas) in Ondo State, Nigeria. The sample size of the study was Four hundred (400) respondents, selected through, a snow-balling sampling technique. Three research questions were raised to guide the conduct of the study. A mixed research instruments (quantitative and qualitative) to generate data were used. Quantitative data were collected through a self-developed research instrument by the researcher, titled “Questionnaire on Assessing Public Awareness on Strategic Impact of       Environmental Education, Laws and Policies on Environmental Sustainability in Coastal Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria”. It was fashioned on four- liker rating scale; strongly Agreed (SA), Agreed (A), Disagreed (D) and Strongly Disagreed (SD), rated on 4:3:2 and points1, respectively. Qualitative research instrument (Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) was used to collect qualitative data. The research instruments were validated by two experts in Test and Measurement, while its reliability were determined through, test-retest method at two weeks interval, and 0.71 coefficient reliability was obtained Data on Demographic characteristics of the respondents were analyzed, using Bar chart for age and gender variables while, Pie-chart was used to analyze variables like; marital and level of education, respectively. Data generated on the research questions were analyzed, using descriptive statistics (simple percentages, frequency counts and mean, while, qualitative data obtained were collated, analyzed and transcribed qualitatively. Based on the findings of the study, conclusions were made that public was not aware of Environmental education laws and policies on environmental issues and also, it strategic impact to halt human beings’ destructive and hazardous behaviours on the environment. Based on the conclusions, recommendations were made that more pro-active strategies on Environmental education should be adopted to ensure that public is well sensitized on environmental challenges. Also, the people’s whose their actions and in-actions are dangerous to the environment should be made to face the wrath of laws in other to create public attention on the existing environmental laws and policies, and hosts.