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OIL SPILLAGE
IN NIGERIA'S NIGER DELTA
PSYCHO-MORPHOLOGICAL & EMPIRICAL OVERVIEW
PRIMARY AUTHORS/RESEARCHERS:
CHIEF M. L. EFERE
DR. PROSPER AYAWEI
The very thick nature of the bush makes it suitable for hunting
of wild animals. However, the affected vegetation and the depleted environment
make things worse for any wild life to survive in the area. Hunters in
the affected areas complained that their occupation has been negatively
affected by the spill.
11.2 AGRICULTURE
The basic activity of the people is farming. Therefore the spill
and its consequential effects will linger for a long time especially with
the thorns and thistles all over the vegetation symbolic of the unproductive
nature of the soil. It is obviously possible that it would take as long
as 15 years or more for this impacted area to regain its soil fertility,
as a result of the spill.
11.3 ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
The economic appraisal is a summation of the totality of effects ranging from loss of income to health hazard. The underlying focus is loss of income. The terrestrial life and the aquatic life in the impacted areas are completely destroyed which is evident in the analysis. This destruction had led to total fluctuation in the living condition. Apart from spending money to buy basic food stuff from other farmers, it is also evident that their diets are also prone to serious adjustment.
The dependency rate has also increased tremendously. Before the oil spills began their damage, every youth has a livelihood in the land which the spill has completely destroyed and therefore such supportive tendencies are no longer seen in the village, thus, increasing the burden on each family head (Father).
As a summation of the above, one could deduce that fisheries for now
are ruled out; farming is highly unproductive; and health hazard gradually
penetrating into the fabric of the people.