COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN URBAN ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: THE CASE OF WOLKITE TOWN, SNNPR, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Effective community participation is regarded as an important component in development projects since people’s needs are addressed best through participation. The aim of this study was to examine community participation in urban road infrastructure development projects (URIDP) in Wolkite Town, SNNPR. A mixed research approach was adopted whereby data was gathered through questionnaires, key informants interview, focused group discussions and document analysis. A sample of 366 householdheads, 21 focused group participants and 9 key informants were selected utilizing purposive and simple random sampling techniques’ to elicit information for this study. Collected data were analyzed for descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Data obtained from focus group discussion and interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and used for the purpose of triangulation. The study found out that the level of community participation in URIDP was generally low. Additionally it was also indicated that the majority of community members were not aware of their roles and responsibilities in road infrastructure development projects of their locality and that urban residents were generally not actively involved in decision making, planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.Findings also revealed that the institutional structures installed by the municipality to involve communities in local development initiatives especially roads are highly disorganized and unsustainable implying that community participation in road infrastructure development projects was carried out in campaigns and was not well institutionalized in the Town. The major challenges that hinder community participation in road infrastructure development were lack of awareness, poor coordination and communication between local authorities and communities, weak institutional structures and lack of resources. The paper concludes that for effective community participation in urban road development projects, overcoming barriers to participation and promoting more participatory approach was indispensable. It was recommended that building community awareness, strengthening effective cooperation and communication between local leaders and communities and creating enabling institutional structures were essential to realize community participation in urban road infrastructure development in the Study Area.