Residents’ social interactions in market square and its impact on community well-being

This study aims at ameliorating the associated challenges emanated from the ineffective planning, management and design of market square as well as appraisal of the interactions among people of diverse ethnicity. Hence, the study explores users’ interactions and activities within three markets square in rural neighborhoods of South-west, Nigeria. The significant relationship between resident’s interactions and the community well-being was explored. Consequently, this study highlights the influence of the market square as a typical neighborhood open space on residents’ well-being. The study’s quantitative approach encircled the purposive structured survey questionnaire data obtained from Yorubas, Hausas, and Ibos respondents (n=382); and analyzed by SPSS statistical package (version 22). Meanwhile, the qualitative data included observation of various activity pattern among the three ethnic groups. The study’s findings revealed that an improvement in the market square quality becomes necessary in order to increase residents’ interactions and well-being. Also, the study elucidates the appropriate link between the built environment, residents’ interactions, and well-being. It is concluded that residents’ well-being is a reflection of an experience manifested within the interplay of individuals and groups’ social interactions. This study of people and place relationships could better equip the professionals in the built environment on the importance of creating a sustainable open space towards improving residents’ well-being and rural community revitalization efforts

Urban greenery a pathway to environmental sustainability in sub Saharan Africa: a case of Northern Nigeria cities

The Northern Region of Nigeria, which is located south of Africa biggest desert - the Sahara, is highly vulnerable to adverse impacts of climate change for some reasons. This paper attempts to review the variance between urban greenery, urban development and the quest for environmental sustainability. A critical review of relevant materials related to the study was carried out. The quantitative nature of the study was backed empirically. Findings from the study reveal that physical development plans for some urban areas have been very ad-hoc and loosely defined. Allocation of open green spaces is not in harmony with the urban population and it mostly characterized by a low percentage. Abuja master plan, for instance, has the highest allocation of 32.87%, while allocation in other master plans fall below 30% with Suleja master plan counts 2.5% only. Outdated master plan and the lack of will power from urban authority in plan implementation has often resulted in the distortion, encroachment, and conversion of green areas to other land uses. Increase carbon emission and pollution especially from the transport sector has been marked by a decline in greenery. Therefore, reducing the sequestration capacity of the urban area, weak urban planning and harsh climatic condition could be regarded as critical challenges. This study suggests the strict adherent to sustainable urban planning that integrates physical development and environmental consideration to enhance greenery. The study also recommends the placement of urban greenery on the same platform with the urban grey infrastructure by urban stakeholders

Implications of present land use plan on urban growth and environmental sustainability in a Sub Saharan Africa City

Land use, urban development and environmental sustainability have become an interesting research arena as urban development would change the city landscape as well as generate environmental degradation. This paper looks at the missing link between land use planning and urban growth, and it implications for environmental sustainability in a selected sub Saharan Africa city of Kaduna, Nigeria. We assessed urban growth from historical GIS data of the city to evaluate the urban expansion. At the same time, regression analysis was used to established relationship between carbon emission and traffic volume in the city. A city characterized by weak land use planning has created a gap leading to uncoordinated land use planning and uncontrolled physical growth. A steady increase of built up area of 8,400.31 hectares in 1982 to an area of 17,120.5 hectares in 2015 can be a reflection of the presence of uncontrolled urban expansion. The lack of coordination between land use planning and urban growth has resulted to environmental ills within the city. One among the ills, is ubiquitous traffic congestion within the city leading to high carbon (CO2) emission. Findings shows a strong connection between emission and volume of traffic. In addition to findings, is the decline of green areas in the city. By this findings, it is suggested that the modern concept of land use planning which embraces flexibility, public participation and integration of environmental issues should be entrenched and allow to take the lead in the process of urban growth

Residents' social interactions in market square and its impact on community well being

This study aims at ameliorating the associated challenges emanated from the ineffective planning, management and design of market square as well as appraisal of the interactions among people of diverse ethnicity. Hence, the study explores users’ interactions and activities within three markets square in rural neighborhoods of South-west, Nigeria. The significant relationship between resident’s interactions and the community well-being was explored. Consequently, this study highlights the influence of the market square as a typical neighborhood open space on residents’ well-being. The study’s quantitative approach encircled the purposive structured survey questionnaire data obtained from Yorubas, Hausas, and Ibos respondents (n=382); and analyzed by SPSS statistical package (version 22). Meanwhile, the qualitative data included observation of various activity pattern among the three ethnic groups. The study’s findings revealed that an improvement in the market square quality becomes necessary in order to increase residents’ interactions and well-being. Also, the study elucidates the appropriate link between the built environment, residents’ interactions, and well-being. It is concluded that residents’ well-being is a reflection of an experience manifested within the interplay of individuals and groups’ social interactions. This study of people and place relationships could better equip the professionals in the built environment on the importance of creating a sustainable open space towards improving residents’ well-being and rural community revitalization efforts

Covid-19 Resilience: A Review

The world-wide occurrence of Covid-19 has made prevention and mitigation of the pandemic an issue of serious concern universally. This paper reviews literature on Covid-19 resilience with a view to exploring the varied aspects been put in place to curtail or mitigate the disastrous tendencies associated with the prevalence of this contemporary disease. The sources of data for this paper were purely secondary with particular reference to covid-19 resilience. From the review it was inferred that aspect of Covid-19 resilience in relation to physical planning, tourism and community resilience have been undertaken significantly but aspect that relates to health resilience more especially which concerns people with terminal diseases needs adequate attention for further exploration as well as researches on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Covid-19 resilience in relation to the environment also needs to be conducted the more. &nbsp