PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS IN SAMINAKA: ASSESSING INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE AND ALTERNATIVE DISPOSAL METHODS

This study examines urban solid waste management challenges in Saminaka, Kaduna State, investigating the relationship between waste generation patterns, disposal practices, and public perceptions. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 382 households across five major streets through questionnaires, field observations, and interviews. Findings reveal a critical disparity in waste management: while 67.3% of households generate waste daily, only 52.1% dispose of it with the same frequency, creating accumulation that threatens public health and environmental quality. The study evaluates perceptions of common disposal methods, with significant majorities rating current practices as ineffective: burning 56.4%, burying 67.6%, and open dumping 67.3%. Most notably, 92.1% of respondents perceive the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) as ineffective in waste management operations. These findings indicate systemic failures in institutional support, infrastructure development, and community engagement. The study contributes to understanding Nigeria's urban waste management challenges by providing empirical evidence of the generation-disposal gap in Saminaka and offers context-specific recommendations to improve waste management systems, including institutional capacity building, infrastructure development, sustainable waste practices, public-private partnerships, and enhanced community participation.