Towards Community Participation in Urban Road Infrastructure Development Practices
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Date
2023-12-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Community participation is vital to any development. Community participation in urban road infrastructure development helps to mobilize resources and advance the ROW. However, community participation is affected by a lack of awareness, an absence of bottom up decision-making, economic capacity, political will, etc. The objective of this study is to investigate community participation in urban road infrastructure development practice in woreda 6 of the N/S/L sub city, Addis Ababa. The study used 388 samples selected by purposive sampling techniques. The study used a mixed (qualitative and quantitative) research approach. In order to analyze and interpret the data; the study used descriptive and inferential statistics. Data were collected through questionnaire, key informant interviews, and desk review. A questionnaire and an interview were used to collect primary data, and a survey of the pertinent literature, including books, journals, reports, and other research-related papers, was employed to collect secondary data. Results showed that community participation in the development of roads is restricted and more than half of the community is unaware of what it is. Most of the participation is done to advance the implementation of ROW rather than use the community's ideas as input. The majority of the community was participating to secure the property rights affected by the development. Institutions that are organized to facilitate communities’ participation have low achievement, and their activity is limited to volunteer services like security, small ditch building, and traffic control. The participation was not inclusive. Most decisions were made by the city administration. Their main contributions were financial, and it also insufficient. Absence of transparency, lack of awareness, lack of trust in institutions, lack of political will, insecure property rights of affected communities’, the absence of strong community organizations, the economic capacity of the community, and the presence of top-down decision-making processes are challenges on the way to community participation in woreda 6 road developments. The researcher recommends woreda 6, N/S/L sub city and other stake holders including the city administration; increase institutional capacity, apply inclusiveness, empower communities, increase political commitment, create community awareness, apply a bottom-up decision-making process, will applied in order to enhance community engagement. Furthermore the study recommended proper compensation and relocation for affected community properties help the institution to build community trust and to confront the challenges of community participation in urban road infrastructure development.
Key Words: Community, Participation, Road Infrastructure, Development