Crude Oil Exploitation in The Niger Delta and Appointments in Nigeria’s Oil Industry

Ime E. Akpan

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Abstract

The thesis of the study was that though the Niger Delta region is the major producer of oil which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, the region has been neglected for decades as resources from oil in the region have not translated to commensurate development of infrastructure with its contribution to the national purse. The study made use of secondary data in its methodology which offered an opportunity to gather adequate and useful information for the study. Results from findings show that the federal government of Nigeria derailed the social contract between it and the Niger Delta region. The study discovered that despite the availability of highly educated human resources in the Niger Delta, appointments to positions such as Group Managing Director of the NNPC and Minister of Petroleum Resources have been negatively skewed toward the Region. The paper frowned at the Federal government’s marginalization of the Niger Delta which it observed is the main cause of frustration of the people thereby making them aggressive and antagonistic towards the federal government, concluding that the unending crises in the Delta are due to government insensitivity to the poor conditions of the people. To forestall further crises in the region, the paper recommended among others, the provision of adequate infrastructure in the region, the appointment of indigenes to managerial positions in the oil industry and the floating of a special scholarship scheme for indigent students of the region.

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