Urhobo Historical Society

OIL SPILLAGE
IN NIGERIA'S NIGER DELTA


INTEGRATED GRASS ROOT POST-IMPACT ASSESSMENT
OF ACUTE DAMAGING EFFECTS
OF CONTINUOUS OIL SPILLS IN THE NIGER DELTA
JANUARY 1998 - JANUARY 2000
 
 

PSYCHO-MORPHOLOGICAL & EMPIRICAL OVERVIEW


PRIMARY AUTHORS/RESEARCHERS:

DR. E. A. AKPOFURE

CHIEF M. L. EFERE

DR. PROSPER AYAWEI


7.0 EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ACUTE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF OIL SPILLS ON IMPACTED VICTIMS


 11.1 HUNTING

 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.
 


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