The Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria

[cosmas Nigeria]

The Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria

The Niger-Delta region of Nigeria accounts for one the world’s largest
deposits of oil and gas and over 80% of Nigeria’s income, the region
which is home to over 3000 different tribes and nationalities have
played host to activities of multinational Oil and Gas firms with its
attendant environmental consequences since the discovery of commercial
quantities of oil and gas in 1956.
However, the historical failure of all stakeholders, predominantly the
Nigerian state, to protect the rights and wellbeing of inhabitants of
the region has led to great depletion and destruction of the
environment through pollution in form of Oil spillage, Gas Flaring
etc. This situation has created serious resentment and frustrations at
all levels of the society.
The frustrating part of the situation is the long Connivance of the
Nigerian State with these Multi National Oil and Gas Corporations to
perpetually exploit the people. Nigeria remains the Highest Gas flarer
in the world and has contributed more greenhouse gases than all other
sub-Saharan sources combined. The practice of gas faring in the Niger-
Delta remains widespread, violating the rights of local population and
right to health and healthy environment. Flames and Fumes are produced
24hours a day, seven days a week, year after year, affecting health,
polluting the local environment and destroying livelihoods. Nowhere
else in the world are communities subjected to it on such large scale.
Furthermore in the region, 17 billion m3 of associated natural gas is
estimated to be flared annually, generating an estimated 2,700 tons of
particulates, 160 tons of sulphur oxides, 5,400 tons of carbon
monoxide, 12 million tons of methane and 3.5 million tons of carbon
dioxide. Due to poor regulatory framework, Nigeria Flares 75 percent
of the gas it produces and accounts for about 19 per cent of the total
amount flared globally. (See Africa-Up in smoke?, The second report
from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development, pages 20 &
21).
This scenario has led to the rise of resistant, militant and criminal
Groups in the name of the Niger-Delta emancipation. The year 2006,
witnessed an increase in the boldness and intensity of militia groups
to inflict damage to the oil industry and the state. The arrest of a
Notorious Gang leader in 2005 was followed by the rise of a new
militia, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND).
Since January 2006, the wave of violence has resulted in several
kidnappings and numerous battles between the state security services
and militia groups, increasing the pervasive sense in society that the
conflict will steadily increase.
The response by the Nigerian state to this mounting conflict to date
has been to buy off the leaders of violence gangs at a local and
regional level. This approach has failed, and will continue to fail
because for every individual that is bought off there are 20 others
ready to take his place and commit a greater level of violence in
order to justify their own pay off.
It thus becomes very pertinent that increased pressure is mounted on
the Oil Companies and Government to change their policies and
treatment of the Niger-Delta region.


Yours in GREEN
Cosmas Ba-Ana-Itenebe
Nigeria