Residents’ Attitude: A Sign for Public Infrastructure Longevity in Osogbo, Nigeria

Abstract

The notion that government property is nobody‟s property particularly accounts for the nonchalant attitude of the public. Hence, this study examines spatial analysis of residents‟ attitude to public infrastructure in different residential areas of Osogbo, Nigeria. Multi-sampling procedure was adopted in selecting 214 household heads for the survey. The attitude of residents was measured through a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The mean of RPAI for Osogbo was 3.04. It implied that residents in Osogbo were occasionally involved with a positive attitude towards public infrastructure. In low, medium and high residential densities, the RPAI indices were 3.32, 2.86 and 2.91 respectively. In Osogbo, residents ranked adequate security
on available infrastructure as their most valued attribute, with an RPAI of 3.66. The prominent negative attitude was the use of public school premises as toilets. Other resident‟s negative attributes higher than the mean index in Osogbo included improper and careless construction, vandalism of public infrastructure and disposal of solid waste on road junctions. The study concluded that residents‟ attitudes both positive and negative, varied in the different residential densities. Also, the attitudes of residents towards infrastructure were influenced by the importance attached and satisfaction derived from the public infrastructure. This study recommends that law
enforcement agencies should conduct constant monitoring by utilising modern technology devices and organising enlightenment programmes for residents regularly. Likewise, necessary punishments should be meted out on reckless residents as regards infrastructure vandalism.