Investigation Into The Causes Of Blocked Drainage, Canal And Culvert In Ilorin-west Local Government Area
[A CASE STUDIES OF AGBO-OBA, OJA-TUNTUN AND SAWMILL]

CHAPTER THREE
3.0    METHODOLOGY
3.1     INTRODUCTION
This chapter outlines research design; research techniques adopted in this research; data collection procedures and data analysis and presentation methods. The main aim of this chapter is to outline how this study found answers to the research questions that were derived from the research problem. It looked at the data collection instruments and how those instruments were employed so as to obtain information and therefore achieve the research objectives.
3.2     RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is the visualization of data and problems associated with the embodiment of the data in the entire research project (Leedy, 1996). It is the arrangement of conditions for the collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research process with economy in procedure and it constitutes the blue print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data (Kothari, 2004).  This research undertook a research survey. Research survey refers to the collection of information from a sample of individuals through their responses to questions (Weiss et al., 2001). Research survey was employed in order to obtain information that would describe the causes of blocked drainage, canal and culvert infrastructure in Ilorin west local government area and how blocked drainage system has affected road users during the rainy seasons and the residents living in the surrounding. The survey involved; government institutions for construction and maintenance of highways, the contractor and residents living in the affected areas. For the purposes of achieving the objectives of the study therefore, a case study design was adopted where survey research was used.  Various techniques of data collection such as questionnaires, photographs, observation, interviews among others were employed in the study to obtain the information required to meet the objectives. A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents (Gillham, 2008). Whereas, photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film, or electronically by means of an image sensor (Schewe, 2012). It provides a less biased recording than observations; in addition, they can then be analyzed by others in their original formats (Flick, 2002). Observation refers to the systematic examination of real-time processes or operations with the goal of identifying needs/challenges or improving processes and practices that is, what can be seen. Observations typically incorporate a prescribed protocol containing specific measures of observable behavior and the narrative recording of the program activities and their context (Lofland, 1995). The qualitative research interview seeks to describe the meanings of central themes in the life world of the subjects. The main task in interviewing is to understand the meaning of what the interviewees say (Kvale, 1996). It seeks to cover both a factual and a meaning level, though it is usually more difficult to interview on a meaning level (Kvale). Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant’s experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around the topic. Interviews may be useful as follow up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses (McNamara, 1999).