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EFFECT OF OIL POLLUTION ON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIFE OF OGONI LAND, RIVER STATE
ABSTRACT
The study investigates the effect of oil pollution on the socio-economic life of Ogoniland, Rivers state. The sample was drawn randomly from selected population of 120 people, the government officials, oil companies and communities in Ogoni. From the data collected, it was found that majority of the correspondent were not satisfy about the effect of oil pollution to their environment. They also agree that crude oil pollution has adverse effect to socio- economic resources in oil producing communities, majority also said that both the effort made by government and oil companies to improve the socio- economic activities of the oil communities have not yield any development.
The study recommended that both the oil companies and government should improve the oil developing communities in order to save, guild the environment and improved the standard of living of the people living people lining in the oil communities.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1. INTRODUCTION
For over five decades, Nigeria continues to experience remarkable increases in operational activities in her oil and gas exploration, exploitation, refining and products marketing (ukoli 2001). The onshore activities centered mainly in the Niger- Delta area, which have generated massive wealth for the nation. It is nationally acknowledged that the natural blessing of this area known for its difficult land terrain of swampy rain and mangrove forest have contributed most to the socio- economic development to the entire country, especially in the area of foreign exchange earnings, provision of job opportunities, physical infrastructure in education, health, communication, power e.t.c. the euphemism crude oil is to Nigeria economy as the Nile is to Egypt appropriately describes the important of this renewable resource to our nation.
Behind this glossy façade of financial benefit, however, the industry has created serious health and environmental pollution problems for the country in general and the host communities of the companies in particula9ukoli, 2001). The socio-economic impacts of these activities have been of concern to government regulatory agencies, oil companies as well as the host communities.
Since the discovering, over 60 percent of Niger- Delta have been explored, thus Nigeria faces the problem of over exploration of the area, one of the dangers is environmental damages or degradation which has become not only an economic issues but also apolitical and socio one. Oil spillage that occurs in Niger-Delta has been known to cause damage to fauna and flora, hence constitute hazard to human life and activities. Oil production has ad damaging effect on environment of the oil producing region especially Ogoni in River State, through the extent of the damage is subject to dispute.
Despite decades of oil production, there surprisingly, little good quality, independent and scientific data on the overall or long term effect of hydro- carbon pollution in the Niger-Delta, yet oil development has clearly and seriously damage the environment and the livelihood of many living in the oil communities. The oil companies operating in Nigeria environment maintain that their activities are conducted to the highest environmental standard, but Nigeria environment law in most respect comparable to their international counterparts are poorly enforce (Ken Saro wiwa, 1960) maintain that the environment in Ogoni has been completely devastated by four decades of reckless oil exploitation or ecological warfare by Shell oil producing company. An ecological war is highly lethal; the more so as it unconventional fauna, the air, rain fall at its feet and finally the land itself die.
Crude oil exploration have economic impact in the form of remuneration for economic activities which was disrupted in the process of exploration compensation for economic crops damage, the employment of indigenes of the communities in petroleum activities and allocation of a proportion of oil revenue. The social impacts are in the form of provision of social infrastructure such as roads, health, education at all level at and civic centers
Occasional, large oil spill fill fish and agricultural crops and polluted water with serious effects to the communities affected especially on fry or in fresh water swampy zones where spill are contained in a small area. The long term effect of these major pollution incidents regular small spill and effluent deliberately discharge to the environment is largely unevaluated, poorly designed cause away and canal used by the oil industries affect the hydrology of the seasonally flooded fresh water supplied, compensation for such damage is inadequate.
Apart from gas pollution, other issues boarding on degradation of the physical environment such as oil spillage, destruction of landscape through oil drilling, laying of pipeline and low level of development of communities where these activities are carried out have generated serious acrimony and protracted crises over the year. Oil communities have grown very restive over lack of adequate compensation for the acquisition and utilization of their ancestral land. It is deeply believed in these communities that their share of the oil revenue, measure by the Federal Government revenue sharing formula and the visible development project programs and infrastructure available in the communities is not commensurate with the level of the environmental degradation, socio-economic dislocation and health hazard ensuring from oil related activities. In ability of successive regime to address these issues to the satisfaction of the indigene of the areas had led to increased violence in various dimensions ranging from vandalization of oil equipments, illegal tapping of fuel pipelines, intra-communal skirmishes, revolts e.t.c. The fatal consequences are quite obvious and evident in Ogoni and Jesse people.
However, there are exiting government apparatus for compensation oil producing area. Apart from the federal government revenue allocation formula which is generally applicable, the oil mineral producing Area Development commission (OMPADEC) was establish in 1992 to specifically address the need of the oil communities and promote co-operation between such communities and various oil companies. Whether the resource channeled to these area through these avenue constitute an adequate compensation or get to the grass root is different question altogether. Perhaps, there is the need to deeply re-assess the present magnitude of environmental degradation and socio-economic injustice affecting these communities to have a more holistic view of the situation. This will put the government in a position to determine the appropriate volume of resource and the most suitable form of compensation required to meet the yearning of the people in target oil communities, such as approach will go along way in reconciling vital interest element in oil sector, halt the lingering crises boost oil sector production or revenue generation and foster realization of budgetary projection for the oil sector.
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The study is focused on the implication of crude oil pollution on socio-economic activities in Ogoniland, specifically; the socio- economic activities addressed in this study are health, employment compensation and agricultural activities in the land.
1.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary purpose of the study is to investigate issues concerning the implication of crude oil pollution on socio- economic activities in Ogoniland, Rivers state.
Specifically, the investigation will;
i. Determine the implication of crude oil pollution on Agriculture activities in Ogoniland.
ii. Identify the implication of crude oil pollution on employment opportunities in Ogoniland.
iii. Examine the implication of crude oil pollution on the health of Ogoni people.
iv. Ascertain various ways in which crude oil pollution can be compensated
1.4. RESEARCH QUEESTIONS
In other to achieve the objective of the study, effort will be made to provide answer to the following research questions.
(i) What are the implications of crude oil pollution on agricultural activities in?
(ii) What are the implications of crude oil pollution on employment generation in Ogoni land?
(iii) Does crude oil pollution have any implication on the health of the Ogoni people?
(iv) How does crude oil pollution being compensated to oil producing communities?
1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Among the hypotheses to be tested include
(i) There is no significant relation between crude oil pollution and agricultural activities in Ogoni.
(ii) There is no significant relationship between crude oil pollution and health of the Ogoni people.
(iii) There is no significant difference between crude oil pollution and unemployment generation in Ogoni.
1.6. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will generate some finding and conclusion which will be empirical supported. The finding and conclusion will be useful to;
i. Federal government of Nigeria, if they have access to the study, it will guide them to that the implication of crude oil pollution in oil producing communities is very dangerous and also encourage them to adopt measure or policy that would provide a reasonable degree of protection of its ecological human environment from pollution.
- Oil industries should make that oil operation are carried out in accordance with all local environment legislation in force in Nigeria or with international standard.The study will also be useful to students who may study related issues in future.
- The public as to play its role in preventing the accidents and therefore co-operate in conserving the environment.
1.7. THE SCOPE OF THE SYUDY AND LIMITATION
i. The study will be undertaken at Ogoniland River state. The data collection and other vital information will be limited to Ogoniland. The study strictly treats the implication of crude oil pollution on socio- economic activities of Ogoniland.
ii. The major difficulties this study encountered include paucity and reliability of data. The lack of reliably data in petroleum sector or the refusal to make available is lengendary. Oil activities are predictable reluctant to share their information.
- These problems however did not prevent successful completion the study.
1.8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE SYUDY
i. The Ogoni, an indigenous people in Nigeria live on 404 square mile of coastal plain terraces of the north east of the Niger Delta. Its approximate boundaries are the Aba-Port Harcourt court highway to the North and east respectively and coastal flat occupied by the Adonis to the south. Ogoni has over 500,000 rural populations as 1980 (loolo. G .N et al, 1980). The headquarter of Ogoniland is Bori. Ogoni nation consist of three major group namely, Khana who live in the eastern and northern part of Ogoniland. Ken- khana, which has its political headquarter at Bean. Nyo-Khana which has the largest land area with thick forest. The entire Ogoniland is purely for agricultural activities which involves farming, fishing, tapping and distillation of palm wine into local brand dry gin, boat building, black smith, mat and pottery making. The people also earn other living as a civil servant and trader. Most of the people are traditional worshippers. They worship a common deity called BARI meaning the creator of heaven and earth. Only few are Christians.
ii. Petroleum was discovered in Ogoni in 1958 by the multinational oil company called SPDC and since then, an estimate of 30 billion dollars worth of oil has been carted away from Ogoniland. In return for this the Ogoni people have receive nothing.
iii. Oil exploration has turn Ogoni into a wasteland, stream and creeks are totally and continually polluted. The atmosphere has been poisoned charge as it is with hydro carbon dioxide and soothing emitted by gas which has been flared 24 hours a day for over 35years in very close proximity to human habilitation. Acid rain oil spillage and oil blow out have deviated Ogoni territory. The study intends to finds out how crude oil pollution have affected the socio-economic activities in Ogoniland.