ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND LIVELIHOOD SUSTAINABILITY IN OIL AND GAS HOST COMMUNITIES IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS

Abstract

The study examined environmental management practices and livelihood sustainability in oil and gas host communities in Port Harcourt Metropolis. A cross sectional design was adopted. The population comprised households in selected oil and gas host communities within the metropolis. A total of 200 respondents were selected using a multistage sampling technique. In the first stage, purposive sampling was used to select oil- and gas-bearing communities within Port Harcourt metropolis. In the second stage, proportionate sampling was applied to select four communities, one each from the North, South, East, and West (Choba, Elelenwo, Eneka, and Trans-Amadi) to represent the study area. The study examined environmental management techniques and livelihood sustainability in the oil and gas host communities of Port Harcourt Metropolis. A cross-sectional design was employed. The population was made up of households in some of the city's oil and gas host communities. A total of 200 respondents were selected through a multistage sampling process. In the first phase, oil and gas-producing communities in the Port Harcourt metropolitan area were selected using purposeful sampling. Using proportionate sampling, four communities—one from each of the North, South, East, and West—were selected to represent the research region in the second stage: Choba, Elelenwo, Eneka, and Trans-Amadi. It was concluded that the current environmental management efforts are insufficient to support sustainable livelihoods. It recommended among others that Government and regulatory agencies should enhance enforcement and monitoring of environmental management practices to ensure proper implementation and compliance by oil companies in Port Harcourt Metropolis.