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ABSTRACTS
This researcher used descriptive survey research design to identify the perceived effects of oil spillage among the people of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State. The sample size for this study was 250 respondents selected from the communities using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire designed by the researcher made up of 15 items of (Yes or No) questions which was validated by professionals. The test-retest method was used for field testing Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC) was used to ascertain the reliability co-efficient. The simple percentage and mean method of data analysis were used to analysis the generated data. The following are significant in the study: socioeconomic, health, psychological, socio-cultural and environmental effects of oil spillage among the people of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State. However, based on the findings of the study some recommendations were made which include. The chiefs and elders of Abua/Odual Local Government Area should work in collaboration with the government to enacts laws against pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering of crude oil. Law enforcement agent should be used to prosecute defaulters that vandalises pipelines or carryout illegal bunkering activities that could lead to oil spillage. Suggestions for further studies were also made.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
An oil spillage happens when liquid petroleum is released into the environment by vehicles, vessels or pipeline. It happens on a large scale and is mostly seen in water bodies, it happens due to human negligence and is a major form of pollution.
The first oil spillage came into public attention in 1967 following the grounding of the oil tanker “Torrey Canyon” off the British Coast. Agencies such as the United States environmental Protection Agency have set out to avoid similar disaster.
Oil spillage has been a recurring dilemma in the Niger Delta especially in Abua/Odual Local Government Area where this research is focused. Baker, et al., (1991) opined that oil spillage occurred as a result of the nefarious activities on pipeline vandalization, improperly maintained old pipeline, corrosion of pipes, sabotage, engineering drills, ineffective control of oil wells, mechanical failures and inadequate care in loading and unloading oil vessels. He further state that the activities of the multinational is not carrying out a proper environmental impact assessment within their areas of operation. The oil pollution outbreak in December 2006 at refinery Jetty Okrika which claimed the lives of over one-hundred (100) people occurred as a result of fire outbreak of oil to illegal bunkery which has become the latest means of getting rich in the Niger Delta. A similar spill occurred in 2008 at Otapha River in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, that lead to the destructions of aquatic lives and made life unbearable to the people over five years ago.
Several youth are now involved in illegal bunkery and because of their lack of knowledge in handling crude products, they end up spilling these products into our environment destroying fauna and flora. According to Ekwezor (2014) oil spillage is the spreading of liquid petroleum from its pipeline unintentionally on water bodies, vegetation and land. Furthermore, he opined that oil spillage has the ability of destroying living things both plants and animals found on land and water. Some Nigerian scientists (Odu, 2005 and Imevbore, 2007) have at one time or the other drawn the attention of the academic world to the effects of oil spillage on the affected communities.
Wolfaardt, et al (2009) the following effects of oil spillage are significant in the study:
Socio-economic effects: Oil spills are expensive to clean up, if the spills are large, the government may have to allocate money to pay for the clean-up, which would take funds away from other projects. In addition, oil spills can spread to the shoreline and disrupt local economies of the areas like fishing, food processing and recreation. Furthermore, it leads to poverty, misery, food shortage, hunger, destruction of farmlands, bloody violence and the recent birth of militant and avengers.
Health effects: People’s health could be adversely affected by oil either when inhaling or touching oil products or when eating contaminated seafood. Wolfaardt(2002) opined that concentrations of petroleum contaminants in fish and crab tissue, as well as contamination of shell fish, could pose a significant potential for adverse human health effects like dermatitis, cancer, gastroenteritis. Furthermore, oil spills destroys and killed fishes and other aquatic organisms and result to decrease in catch, hence leading to starvation, malnutrition and kwashiorkor in man.
Direct contacts with crude oil or consumption of tainted seafood can cause deleterious health effects ranging from dizziness and nausea to certain types of cancers and issues with the central nervous system (Davidson, et al, 2005).
Psychological Effects: Osfsky (2016) opined that mental health effects of oil spillage includes depressions, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, including decreased social visiting and perceived increase in substance abuse and intra-personal conflict. Furthermore, he stated that community members who suffer income loss reported clinically significant level of anger, fatigue, depression, tension and confusion compared to income stable residents.
Socio-Cultural Effects: Destruction of cultural areas and spirituality: Oil spills destroy medicinal herbs and plants found in sacred areas, like shrines and forest that are symbols of spirituality (Saaugham, 2008). Community destruction, forced displacement, migration and environmental refugees. Socio-culturally, Niger Deltans live in closely communities. The effects of spills caused the people to migrate to cities to live in shanties and slums with their attendant risks. The government frequently demolishes these shanties, thereby rendering the migrant homeless. Traditionally, elders and chiefs are custodians of the host communities, with the authority to protect community in times of trouble. Spills bring the elders closer to oil companies, resulting in the protection of individual interest, in some cases especially where they clamber for clean-up contracts. For these reasons, the elders were seen as being individualist; thereby respect for that traditional institution is affected (Nick, 2006).
Environmental Effects: In the course of oil exploration and production, various materials are released into the environment. For example, during exploration, drill cuttings, drill mud and fluids are used for stimulating production. When they are spilled into the stream and river of the host community, death of aquatic organism (fishes, crabs, etc.) due to lack of oxygen as there was much hydrocarbon produced over the leak period. Oil spillage lead to destruction of arable land, destruction of economic crops, contamination of source of drinking water. Spread of diseases like gastroenteritis, cancer, dermatitis, it hampers recreational activities like boat regatta, swimming, bathing, etc.
Oil spillage also lead to destruction of vegetation, change in temperature, ozone layer depletion and global warming due to emission of volatile hydrocarbon into the atmosphere (Bocard, 2016). Spread of vector borne disease like malaria, respiratory and eye infection, damage to crops, disruption of food supplies, disruption of livelihoods and income, inflation of price of produce due to scarcity distortion of the natural balance of the ecosystem. It was against these backgrounds that the researcher deemed it necessary to carry out this study to investigate the “effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State”
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The multinational oil companies in the host communities which are carrying out oil exploration and exploitation in the area which supposed to be a source of livelihood to the host communities like Abua/Odual and other parts of Niger Delta by creating employment, infrastructural development and impacting positively to the host communities rather it has thrown them into eternal misery by causing untold hardship for them. On one hand, it has fashioned a remarkable economic landscape for the country.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN, 1981) annual report stated as follows, “Oil which was first discovered in commercial quantity at Oloibiri in 1956 and first exported in 1958 account for more than 90% by value and government revenue as at December 31, 1981.
The people of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State are predominantly fishermen and farmers. The introduction of oil spillage into the environment resulted to series of oil pollution resulting to the destruction of fauna and flora like wildlife, vegetation including vital medicinal plants, farm crops and aquatic animals in the ecosystem, thus thrown the people into extreme hunger and poverty.
Damage to crops, disruption of food supplies, disruption of livelihood and income. Population displacement, pollution and contamination of source of drinking water and prevent recreational activities in the area (Baker, et al., 1991).
Depletion of aquatic organisms like periwinkles, crabs, prawn, fishes, mangrove, etc. which the fishermen in the area depend on for their livelihood. Spread of diseases like cancer, dermatitis, gastro-enteritis, cholera, etc. due to consumption of oil contaminated products.
Furthermore, oil spillage results to misery, arm robbery, school dropout, militancy, prostitution and other violent crime due to the destructions of their sources of livelihood. It was in view of these problems, that the study investigated perceived effects of oil spillage.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State. Specifically, the study seeks to:
- Determine the socioeconomic effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- Identify the health effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
iii. Ascertain the psychological effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- Find out the socio-cultural effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- Examine the environmental effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were used to guide the research study:
- What are the socio-economic effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State?
- What are the health effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State?
- What are the psychological effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State?
- What are the socio-cultural effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State?
- What are the environmental effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The following null hypotheses were formulated for the study:
- There is no significant different between socio-economic effects and perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- There is no significant different between health effects and perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- There is no significant different between psychological effects and perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- There is no significant different between socio-cultural effects and perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
- There is no significant different between environmental effects and perceived effects of oil spillage in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study will be of great significance to the fishermen, farmers, hunters and pipeline vandals in Abua/Odual Local Government Area because it will give them an insight into the effects of oil spillage in the environment.
It will help the people of Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State officials to map out strategies and enact laws to prevent pollution through oil spillage from oil industries. It will served as a reference materials for others who are likely to research on related topics.
It will add more knowledge to the field of science because the study revealed the meaning, causes and possible solution to the problems of oil spillage.
It will help the government and non-governmental agency in making policies in oil prospecting and producing industries towards formulating and adopting health policies related to soil and water pollution through oil spillage.
It will guide the health workers on how to educate oil industries, companies and dealers on safe oil activities.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This research work was carried out in Abua/Odual Local Government. Abua/Odual Local Government Area is one of the local government areas that make up the 23 local government areas in Rivers State.
The study also covers the following variables: socio-economic effects of oil spillage, health effects of oil spillage, psychological effects of oil spillage, socio-cultural effects of oil spillage and the environmental effects of oil spillage on the lives of the people.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Oil spillage: This is an outburst of unrefined crude oil from broken oil pipeline or tankers into water bodies or land.
Pollution: This is the presence of substances in our environment that are capable of altering the physical, biological and chemical characteristics of the environment which is harmful to man.
Environment: This is the aggregate of the substance and circumstance that contributes to the existence of man and which affects man in turn either positively or negatively.
Fauna: These are all animals living in an area over a particular period of time.
Flora: These are plants of a particular area, type of environment or period of time.
Ecosystem: This is a natural unit in which there is an interaction between all living organisms (biotic factors) and non-living organisms (abiotic factors) within an environment or habitat.
Vegetation: This refers to a group of naturally occurring plants growth in an ecological zone.