Natural Resource Governance and Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta Region

Nelson A. Bassey, Ugochukwu D. Abasilim, Robert O. Dode & Godwin N. Udeh

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Abstract

This work was prompted by the desire to relieve the environment and host communities of injustices meted by the alliance of state and extractive firms in the Niger Delta region. The issue has been unabated exploitation of both solid and liquid deposits and the attendant hazard such exploitation causes the environment and people in the neighbourhood. Loss of arable land, fishing area, portable drinking water, polluted air, are some of the realities of Niger Delta people. Meanwhile, compensation and corporate social responsibility to ameliorate the suffering of host communities often do not address the real needs of the people, because they are often not articulated with the consent of the latter. Survey design was adopted to feel the pulse of the people and the other stakeholders on this burning issue. Hypotheses formulated were verified using the PPMC through IBM SPSS 23.0. It was found out in the work that the rule of law has been neglected for far too long. It was also found that corporate social responsibility programmes were often imposed on the people and thus unable to meet the real needs of the people. Accordingly, it was recommended, among others, that host communities should become the vanguard of the law by knowing the laws governing the exploitation of resources in their communities, insist on justice and develop Community Priority Programme (CPP) as a template for engagement with companies operating within their environment.

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