Management of Environmental Health Hazard in the Oil Producing Areas of Bayelsa State: A Case Study of Brass Local Government Area
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The study aims to determine and ascertain health hazards from oil spillage in the study area which is Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Chapter Two:
Review of Related Literature
Conceptual Framework
Environment and disaster risk
The increasing incidence and intensity of natural hazards and climate change have a distinct impact on the environment and vice versa and must therefore be seen as an integrated whole. In this context environment refers to all of the external factors, conditions, and influences that affect an organism or a community. This includes everything that surrounds an organism or organisms, including both natural and human-built elements. Environmental concerns are essential components of human well-being and contribute positively to human security, providing basic materials for good life, health and social relations. If these are being compromised and overexploited it will ultimately lead to increase of natural hazards.
When natural hazards becomes a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources it is referred to as a disaster. In other words we can say that disaster risk = hazard x vulnerability / capacities.
Disasters are first and foremost a local phenomenon where the local communities are on the frontlines of the immediate disaster impacts including emergency response, disaster preparedness and for reducing underlying risks factors. Disasters must be seen as much more than a state of emergency, as they carry longer term social impact on the affected communities including loss of public facilities like hospitals, schools and administrative buildings, followed by a compromised overall functioning of the community. For individuals, disasters effectively remove the income sources by damaging or destroying homes, livestock, infrastructure or small scale businesses. Local communities experience a vital setback in development gains already made and the longer term consequences from disasters keeps nations, communities and individuals trapped in poverty cycles. It is often the cumulative effect of high- frequency and low-impact disasters that cause most losses, particularly amongst the poor.
Disasters are often portrayed as acts of nature, or of a natural order. Yet this is not an accurate reflection of reality. The major factors influencing disaster risks are human and social vulnerability, matched with the overall capacity to respond to, or reduce the impact of natural hazards. An integrated approach including environmental conservation is often enough adopted in the field of disaster risk reduction. At the same time relief organizations tend to focus on damage to life and property, ecological services and their indirect economic values are often omitted completely from disaster assessments. Mainstreaming ecosystem concerns- both ecological and economical- into the development agenda and integrating them into disaster risk reduction, becomes essential. An ecosystem
is a functional unit consisting of all the living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in a given area, as well as the non-living physical and chemical factors of their environment, linked together through nutrient cycling and energy flow. An ecosystem can be of any size – a log, a pond, a field, a forest or the Earth’s biosphere – but it always functions as a whole unit.
It is only by addressing environment and natural hazards together with poverty that we can separate communities trapped in a grinding poverty cycle, and the ones who secure lives and livelihoods. Poverty is heavily contributing to escalating disaster risk by reducing existing coping capacities and future resilience.
Another patch of common ground is that the less privileged are suffering the most from the immediate and long term disaster impacts. Environmental losses are often overlooked, even if this might have the most significant and long term effects on livelihood as an income sources (e.g. agriculture) for the poor. Disasters should therefore be seen as an integrated part of development and without major efforts to address disaster losses, disasters will become a serious obstacle to achieve of the Millennium Development Goals. Consequently, hazards, vulnerabilities and capacity building needs to be considered in projects and activities aiming at enhancing environmental conservation and reducing disaster risk
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried out to examine the Management Of Environmental Health Hazard In The Oil Producing Areas Of Bayelsa State. Selected crude oil workers in Brass Local Government Area form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of Ninty-five (95) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which 80 were returned. The analysis of this study is based on the number returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study provided an assessment of the Management of environmental health hazard in the oil producing areas of bayelsa state. The case study for this research was niger delta and it was discover oilspill and gas flare was common to thes people of the niger delta region. An assessment of the effect of gas flare and oilspill which lead to environmental degradation was also carried out. it also discovered that the government have a vital role to play in prevention and management of environmental risk.
Conclusion
The government should strengthen its environmental laws, especially in the areas of enforcement and monitoring. There is no doubt that the federal and state governments have enacted environmental laws that can compete favorably with those of USA and Europe, but the problem has been effective implementation of these laws. There is no way the country can achieve environmental sustainability and sustainable development if the environmental laws are not enforced or implemented effectively. Governments should therefore double their efforts in this regard if Nigeria would make any appreciable achievement toward reaching any target of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
Whereas the DPR should still continue with its statutory functions in the oil and gas industry, it should relinquish the status of an EIA approving agency. Rather, it should receive draft final EIA reports and be represented throughout the EIA process for all oil and gas projects but under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEV). This should reduce bureaucracy, project costs, and delays.
There is a need for more guidelines and circulars to be produced by FMEV to enhance public involvement and good EIA practices. Also, copies of approved or rejected final EIA and screening reports should be made available at all FMEV zonal offices throughout the country. Apart from its public educational utility, future proponents and consultants can use them as guides.
To achieve effective and efficient environmental management, and eventual environmental sustainability in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, it would be imperative to implement vigorously the above recommendations. These recommendations would undoubtedly cater for most of the constraints deterring effective implementation of the laudable Nigerian environmental laws, and economic reform packages aimed at alleviating poverty and solving the environmental degradation problems in the Niger Delta region. It is worthy of note to state that for a better result to be achieved in implementing the above recommendations, there must be peaceful atmosphere and unfiltered cooperation among the stakeholders in the region
References
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- Adenuga, A. O., (1999). “Petroleum Industry and Env ironmental Protection: The Nigerian Experience”, Bullion: Publication of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Volume 23, No.4, October/December.
- Ajai, Alalia., (1994). EIA decree of 1992 is incongruous. Environmental Network 1 2 June/July In: Ajomo, M.A. Editor, Environmental Law and Sustainable Development in Nigeria Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Lagos, Nigeria.
