Advocacy planning in resettlement schemes: A study of old and new awuru in Burgu local government of Niger state, Nigeria

Abstract

Air pollution and flood disasters is on the increase, oceans and water  bodies fouled and solid waste piled up in enormous quantities just to name a few. It is the public that directly or indirectly bears the Burden of the adverse consequence of environmentally ill-conceived development  projects. Every stake holder in the society who are affected by one  developmental activities or the other have their own opinion of what an  ideal environmental policy should be but lack the professional language and expertise to forward their grievances and the possible solution. This then calls for an advocacy planner who has the interest of the people at heart. The paper focused on the negative impact of Awuru resettlement scheme in Burgu local government of Niger state. The study finds out that the socio-economic life of the people is badly affected and socio ties  grossly destroyed. The paper also contended that resettlement schemes without sound economic base and public participation is a mere human  environmental distortion. And that advocacy planning is not anti-public  planning but a complementary effort toward the attainment of rational  comprehensive planning paradigm.

Keywords: Advocacy, resettlement, planning, grievances