Air Pollution Control Within an Industrial Environment (a Case Study of Port Harcourt Refinery Rivers State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is therefore to find answers to the following pertinent research questions:
- To determine how effective the air pollution damage function regulation and implementation of the Port Harcourt refinery and the Federal Government in managing environmental problems/conflicts Nigeria oil and gas industry region have been.
- To determine if the Port Harcourt refinery and the Federal Government have employed adequate two-way communication in relating with the oil-bearing community publics.
- To ascertain whether the air pollution damage function regulations so far in addressing air pollution Nigeria oil and gas industry are enough.
- To find out whether qualified and competent public relations managers are being used by the port Harcourt refinery in fashioning-out and or executing those Air pollution damage function regulation .
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Air pollution
Air pollution has to do with dangerous contamination of the atmosphere , which reduces the quality of the air we breathe and which sustains other on earth (Nwosu, 2003).
AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution has to do with dangerous contamination of the atmosphere, which reduces the quality of the air we breathe and which sustains other lives on earth (Nwosu, 2003) And the atmosphere has been described as the thin envelope of life- sustaining gases surrounding the earth‟‟ (Miller, 1998: 1860).
Air pollution can be caused by nature and can be man- made. Some of the natural causes include volcanic eruption, whirl Windsor wind storms, earth-quakes and others, while the man-mad causes include wrong solid waste disposal, gas flames, oil exploration, production and use, industrial pollution, and many other such factors which also havedamaging effects on both aquatic and terrestrial lives and contribute to biodiversity loss (Uchegbu, 1998).They also have serious negative effects on human health and materials. Other air pollutants like cigarette smoke, radioactive random- 22 gas, asbestos, aerosol sprays, some room deodorants, gasoline etc. cause dizziness,headaches, coughing, sneezing, burning of eyes, flu- like symptoms that is known as the sick- building syndrome.
To change the adverse effects of these air pollutants on man, experts advise, the regular changes of air fillers, cleaning our air condition system, exchanging humidifier water trays frequently, not storing inside our room gasoline‟s, solvents or other volatile and hazardous chemicals. In addition, it is advised that we do not use room deodorizers or air fresheners and aerosol spray products, control our smoking habits and making surer that our wood-burning, gas or kerosene cookers or stoves and fire places are properly installed, vented an maintained.
We cannot talk about air pollution without discussion the GREEN HOUSE and its effects. We have defined the green house as a place, which traps heat in the atmosphere are have explained how it is actualized or formed in the concluding section of chapterfive of this book. We need to give more details about the green house because of its importance and effect on the environment. First, we must note that without the trapped heat in the green house , the earth would be too cold for human survival . second, that various human survival activities have increasingly and negatively poured into the atmosphere gasses that capture too much heat or; carbon dioxide from burning of wood, coal, oil and natural gas, produces most of the green house gas while trace gases like methane nitrous oxide and chloroflour carbons (IFCS) continue to rise (Newswatch, 1990).
Experts have warned that if- the build-up of these green house gases in the atmosphere is not halted, it will result in what we know today as GLOBAL WARMING which will bring about adverse drastic climatic changes that include the following : shift in rainfall pattern changes which disrupts agriculture in many areas of the world; rise in sea levels, which results in the flooding of the coastal or littoral areas (e.g the Lagos bar beach or Victoria Island, Lagos) shift in ocean current s which affects the climate and which will result in the extinction of many plant and animal species (e.g in Madagascar and many parts of Nigeria or African) rise in heat waves, droughts, hurricanes and other weather anomalies that would definitely harm man, animals, crops, forests, etc. (GuesSpeth, in Miller, 1998).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
In carrying out this research, the researcher employed descriptive research procedure. This procedure was used because descriptive research gives a picture of a situation and it serves as a basis for most researches in assessing the situation as a prerequisite for drawing conclusion. Descriptive research also involves collecting data in order to test hypotheses or ensure questions covering the study.
RESEARCH METHOD
The method applied in this research is the survey method. The study however, made use of primary and secondary data to elicit the necessary information required to achieve its objectives.
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SOURCES OF DATA
As noted above, both primary and secondary data were considered pertinent in solving the research problems. A.
Primary Sources:
- Questionnaire: The researcher used a structured questionnaire to obtain information from the respondents. Questions were formulated to generate relevant information to the study.
- Oral Interview: This involves the asking question researcher asking questions which were formulated to elicit relevant information from the respondents. The responses were also recorded on the spot. This method became necessary, as the researcher had the opportunity of explaining everything to the respondents as well as making on the spot assessment of the situation.
Secondary Sources:
Relevant information were also obtained from textbooks, records of the three television stations, journals, magazines and other published and unpublished works on the subject matter.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this research comprises of the Management and Staff of Port harcourt refinery Development Company. The second population studied were the selected residents of Port harcourt in Rivers state. The population is regarded as an INFINITE POPULATION, because the exact population could not be determined.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
The researcher devoted this chapter to the presentation and analysis of the data collected mainly through interviews and questionnaires administered on the relevant target respondents.
The chapter is divided into three parts. Part „A‟ is concerned with the demographic variables of the respondents.
Part „B‟ treats the sociographic, psychographic and economic variables of the respondents with regards to the subject matter.
Finally, part „C‟ is on the tests of hypotheses earlier formulated.
ALLOCATION OF QUESTIONNIARES AND RATE OF RETURNS
Two hundred and forty-five (245) questionnaires were administered on the respondents.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSION, AND CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter is devoted to a summary presentation of the findings of our study. This would be followed with an in-depth discussion on those findings and other issues raised, then some suggestion and recommendations for the way forward, and finally, the conclusion.
Summary of Findings
After a statistical analysis and testing of the data collected and hypotheses formulated for this study, the following results were obtained:
- That the Air pollution damage function regulation and implementation of the And its suitability in the control of air pollution/crisis/conflicts Nigeria oil and gas industry have not been effective.
- That the port harcourt refinery operating Nigeria oil and gas industry have not been employing adequate two-way communication in relating with their host community Publics.
- That the relations strategies/media/techniques employed so far by the oil companies in addressing air pollution Nigeria oil and gas industry have not been adequate and right.
DISCUSSION
As clearly depicted by all the three findings of this study, the Air pollution damage function regulation and implementation of the Oil companies operating Nigeria oil and gas industry. In the context of the broad criteria of considerations in this study leaves much to be desired.
Firstly, our number one finding explicitly shows that the air pollution damage function regulation and implementation of those companies Nigeria oil and gas industrys of our country have not been effective. No wonder then, we have been having the cycle of crisis characterized by vandalisation of oil pipelines and other facilities, kidnap of oil workers, killings, arson, fire outbreaks just to mention but a few.
Secondly, we were told by our number two findings here that the oil companies operating Nigeria oil and gas industry have not been employing adequate two-way communication in relating with their host community publics. In Public Relations practice, adequate two-way communication is considered a portentous solution to many relationship problems of man. In fact, communication is taken, not to be complete, except there is a feedback.
Hence, the attitude of communicating to the best community publics, without giving them enough avenues/opportunities to air their own views, feelings and perception on the issues at stake, could certainly be one of the factors finalling the Niger Delta crisis
Then, the number three findings tells us that neither the strategies, nor the media nor the techniques used in executing the air pollution damage function regulation and implementation Nigeria oil and gas industry are adequate or right.
For Air pollution damage function regulation and implementation to be effective, the right strategies appropriately tailored to the right issue/problem at the right time must be fashioned out or packaged. Such strategies, must as be blended with the right techniques and finally dished out to the target public through the right media, that are suitably amenable and accessible to the socio-cultural backgrounds of the target publics. If the right message is disseminated through the wrong media, the result is going to be negative.
Hence, the practice by the oil companies of mainly using opinion leaders and or traditional rulers in communicating to the publics in their host communities is not acceptable to most of those publics, especially the youths, who always accuse those opinion leaders/traditional rulers of serving their own selfish interests and not the interest of the entire community. They believe either rightly or wrongly that the oil companies “settle” those traditional rulers or opinion leaders to stand against or work against the common interest of their people. Hence, the killing of the “Ogoni 5” by aggrieved Ogoni youths.
CONCLUSION
All said and done, it is then our earnest belief that if the findings, revelations, discussions, suggestions and recommendations of this study are given due consideration, it would go a long way in arresting tensions, conflicts and crisis Nigeria oil and gas industry and restore the much desired climate of peace, friendship and cordial relationship between oil companies and their host communities there.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In view of the foregoing, we hereby proffer the following suggestions/recommendations for improving the air pollution damage function regulation and implementation of the oil companies operating Nigeria oil and gas industry:
- Effort should be geared towards fashioning out grassroots oriented air pollution damage function regulation and implementation that are tailored to the socio-cultural lives, needs and perceptions of the Niger delta people, who are mainly agrarian and riverine fishermen.
- Adequate Public relations research should be employed to clearly appreciate the needs, feelings and perceptions of host communities before dispensing social responsibility goodies to them.
- Adequate two-way communication mechanisms should be instituted between the oil companies and their host community publics.
- The right public relations communication media/techniques which are amenable and suited to the socio-cultural and traditional realities of the Niger Deltans should be employed in communicating to/with them.
- Selected enlightened people from the Niger delta areas, should be involved in packaging incentives, development projects and even communication messages to the people.
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