Analysis of the Factors Affecting Facilities Compliance to Environmental Regulations in Minna – Niger State, Nigeria

This study explores factors affecting facilities’ compliance to environmental regulations. The objectives were to: examine operator’s knowledge of environmental legal requirement of the facility, identify factors affecting environmental compliance and determine relationship between facility and environmental regulators. Systematic random sampling was used in selecting facilities, while purposive random sampling was adopted in selecting respondents from each facility. Simple random sampling was employed in selecting respondents from the regulatory agencies. The instrument for data collection from the respondents is a semi-structured set of questionnaires each for facility and regulators respectively. The questionnaire was administered to one hundred and twenty (120) respondents drawn from eight (8) facilities in different sectoral groups, while one hundred and sixteen (116) were administered to the regulatory agencies (NESREA and NISEPA). Findings shows that challenges militating against compliance to environmental regulations in the area include: the relationship between the regulatory agencies and the facility operators as reported by 22.9% of respondents who upheld that there is fairly relationship between the facility operators and the regulatory agencies. More so, the singled most influential factor is lack of awareness of the regulations (52.5%). Consultation between the environmental regulators and the facility operators prior to the introduction of any environmental regulation is a factor in environmental compliance as reported by 37.6% of the respondents (facility operators) who maintained that they are not consulted before introducing any environmental regulation. It is recommended among others that every facility operator should be considered as a stakeholder in drafting environmental regulations. Exclusion of them is tantamount to low level of compliance as they will claim not to be aware of the regulations. Also, there is need to consistently create environmental awareness among the facility operators and the general public in order to become environment conscious and uphold environmental sustainability.