TITLE:
Socio-Economic Implication of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Project in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Oluyemi Ayorinde Akintoye, Abiodun Komomo Eyong, Peter Okpe Agada, Opaminola Nicholas Digha, Okibe James Okibe
KEYWORDS:
Socio-Economic Development, Impact, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Limited, Niger Delta Area, Bonny Local Government Area
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
12,
2016
ABSTRACT: Notably,
the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project is the pioneer Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) plant in Nigeria, aimed at both the diversification of the
petroleum industry and utilization of the vastly flared natural gas resources
of the nation. However, large scale energy projects have been known to generate
both positive and/or negative impacts. Environmental Management Plans (EMP)
have often been the compendium of information on approved mitigations, which
normally include activities that could maximize the benefits of the host
communities, and it’s not unusual for the Community Development and Corporate
Social Responsibility (CDCSR) department of such an organization to be saddled
with these contributions. But the activities of Nigeria LNG Ltd.’s CSR
department have often been the source of criticism, as well as aspiration for
improvement by host communities and other stake holders. This article thus aims
to present a comprehensive compendium of NLNG’s CDCSR activities, up to the
year 2010, and also highlight the level of satisfaction of the immediate and
distant host communities against the level of performance of other donors in
the area. Also the arrays of negative socio-economic consequences of the
Nigeria LNG Ltd.’s activities were identified based on community perception.
The results generally showed that comparatively, NLNG project has made more
innovative positive socio-economic and health contributions to its areas of
operation than the three tiers of government and other donors (including SPDC
and Mobil Producing Nigeria). Surprisingly, agitations against Nigeria LNG
Ltd.’s activities have not overshadowed its community development provisions,
which have been of major assistance in several communities. There is however a
dire need to review several aspects of Nigeria LNG Ltd.’s CDCSR activities,
especially in the fulfilment of documented promises, as well as in project
conception and community participation, for better completed projects
acceptance by indigenous host communities. Conflict management strategies also
need to be improved, while the dissatisfaction over benefits in New Finima
needs to be urgently addressed.