Challenges Confronting the Implementation of Environmental Management Plan of Obiafu Oil and Gas Project in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The Niger Delta Region of Nigeria has continued to experience dangerous environmental degradation due poor to implementation of Environmental Management Plan (EMP).  The challenges confronting the implementation of Obiafu oil and gas project were identified and broadly classified using PCA. Purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty (20) respondents for questionnaire administration and interview. The respondents are the project EIA stakeholders. They constitute of five representatives each from company that own the Obiafu oil and gas project, EIA Departments Federal Ministry of Environment, Rivers State Ministry of Environment and host communities that participated in the EIA process. Data collected was analysed using percentage and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results shows that challenges confronting implementation of EMP of Obiafu Oil and Gas project includes lack of adequate workforce, cost, inadequate experts, poor follow-up, negligence, poor coordination among EIA regulatory Agencies and corruption. The principle components of challenges are limitations of experts and other stakeholders challenges (45.53%), abusive process including poor follow-up and environmental negligence challenges (28.68%), and cost (19.50%). Therefore, limitations of experts and other stakeholders is major challenge confronting implementation of EMP of Obiafu Oil and Gas project. It was recommended that the challenges of implementation EMP can be reduced through training and recruitment of more expertise.