Abstrakt
Purpose: The study examined the knowledge and reactions of locals to oil pollution, and its impact on the culture as well as the potential health risks among residents in selected oil polluted communities in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.
Participants and Methods: A qualitative research design was adopted to address the research questions using Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs). The target population are those who have resided in the communities for at least three years. Participants for the study were recruited by purposive snowballs and referrals. Six(6) FGDs and sixteen (16) IDIs were conducted among women (18 - 49 yearsold), community youth leaders, community elders (60 years old and above), community heads, and healthcare workers who fitted into the selection criteria in six (6) purposively selected communities and a key informant from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA). The participants in each of the FGDs ranged between 5 and 7. The recordings were transcribed, coded and analysed using NVivo 10.
Results: Four themes emerged from the study which included knowledge of oil pollution and its effects, oil pollution and cultural interpretation, oil pollution and the reactions of the communities, and oil pollution and its potential health effects. Findings showed that research participants had good knowledge of the causes of oil pollution and its potential health risks. Furthermore, locals’ responses to oil pollution varied from community to community as did its impact on the culture and practices.
Conclusion: The study showed that the local residents were knowledgeable about the causes and the adverse effects of oil pollution. The people attached cultural and spiritual undertones to some of the outcomes of the oil spills. The burden of health challenges, as a result oil pollution in the study area was shown to be high.
Keywords: Oil spillage, gas flaring, knowledge, cultural interpretations, health risks, Niger Delta
Résumé
Objectif: L’étude a examiné les connaissances et les réactions des habitants à la pollution par les hydrocarbures, et son impact sur la culture ainsi que les risques potentiels pour la santé des résidents de certaines communautés polluées par les hydrocarbures dans la région du delta du Niger au Nigéria.
Participants et méthodes: Une conception de recherche qualitative a été adoptée pour répondre aux questions de recherche à l’aide de discussions de groupe ciblées (FGD) et d’entretiens approfondis (IDI). La population cible est celle qui réside dans les communautés depuis au moins trois ans. Les participants à l’étude ont été recrutés par des boules de neige et des renvois intentionnels. Six (6) discussions de groupe et seize (16) IDI ont été menées auprès de femmes (de 18 à 49 ans), de jeunes leaders de la communauté, d’anciens de la communauté (de 60 ans et plus), de chefs de communauté et d’agents de santé qui répondaient aux critères de sélection en six (6) communautés sélectionnées à dessein et un informateur clé de l’Agence nationale de détection et d’intervention en cas de déversement d’hydrocarbures (NOSDRA). Les participants à chacun des groupes de discussion étaient compris entre 5 et 7. Les enregistrements ont été
transcrits, codés et analysés à l’aide de NVivo 10.
Résultats: Quatre thèmes ont émergé de l’étude qui comprend la connaissance de la pollution par les hydrocarbures et de ses effets, la pollution par les hydrocarbures et l’interprétation culturelle, la pollution par les hydrocarbures et les réactions des communautés, et la pollution par les hydrocarbures et ses effets potentiels sur la santé. Les résultats ont montré que les participants à la recherche avaient une bonne connaissance des causes de la pollution par les hydrocarbures et de ses risques potentiels pour la santé. En outre, les réponses des habitants à la pollution par les hydrocarbures variaient d’une communauté à l’autre, tout comme son impact sur la culture et les pratiques.
Conclusion: L’étude a montré que les résidents locaux connaissaient les causes et les effets néfastes de la pollution par les hydrocarbures. Les gens ont attaché des nuances culturelles et spirituelles à certains des résultats des déversements d’hydrocarbures. Le fardeau des problèmes de santé, par conséquent, la pollution par les hydrocarbures dans la zone d’étude s’est avérée élevé.
Mots clés: déversement de pétrole, torchage de gaz, connaissances, interprétations culturelles, risques pour la santé, delta du Niger
Correspondence: Prof. OA Ojengbede, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Email: ladosu2002@yahoo.co.uk
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