MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN THE NIGER DELTA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
Cover Page – – – – i
Declaration – – – ii
Certification – – – iii
Dedication – – – iv
Acknowledgments – – v
Abstract – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – vii
List of Tables – – – viii
List of Appendices – – ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – 1-4
1.2 Statement of Problem – – – – – – 4-5
1.3 Research Questions – – – – – – 5
1.4 Objectives of the Study – – – – – 5-6
1.5 Research Hypotheses – – – – – – 6
1.6 Significance of the Study – – – – – 6-7
1.8 Scope and Limitation of the Study – – – – 7
1.8 Definition of Key Concept – – – – – 7-8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 General Literature – – – – – – 9-25
2.2 Configurative Literature – – – – – – 25-29
2.3 Comparative Literature – – – – – – 29-44
2.4 A Case Study Literature – – – – – 44-52
2.5 Theoretical Framework – – – – – 52-54
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – – 58
3.2 Study Area – – – – – – – – 58-60
3.3 Population of the Study – – – – – – 60
3.4 Sampling Technique – – – – – 60-61
3.5 Sample Size – – – – – – – – 61
3.6 Methods of Data Collection – – – – – 62
3.7 Validity of Instrument – – – – – – 63-64
3.8 Methods of Data Analysis – – – – – 64
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis – – – – 65-67
4.2 Test of Hypothesis 1 – – – – – – 68
4.3 Evaluation of Hypothesis 2 – – – – – 69-71
4.4 Evaluation of Hypothesis 3 – – – – – 72-73
4.5 Discussion of Findings – – – – – – 74
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 78
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 79-80
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – 80-81
REFERENCES – – – – – – – 82-84
APPENDICES – – – – – – – 85-90
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE TITLE PAGE
1: Showing sample size of respondents – – – – 61
4.1 Showing percentage of questionnaire returned – – 65
4.2: Age distribution of respondents – – – – 66
4.3 Sex distribution of respondents – – – – 67
4.4 Educational qualification of respondents – – – 67
4.5: Question 17, 18 and 20 are used for test of hypothesis – 1 68
4.6 Evaluation of hypothesis 2 – – – – – 69-71
4.7 Evaluation of hypothesis 3 – – – – – 72-73
ABSTRACT
The environmentally harmful exploration and exploitation activities of Multinational Oil Corporations in the Niger Delta region and Petroleum Development Laws of the Nigerian state amount to violation of human rights of the regions inhabitants. Essentially fishermen and farmers, oil-generated environmental degradation affects not only their livelihood but their lives as well. The Frustration-Aggression theory was use as theoretical framework .In this study, effort was made to examine the roles of Multinational Corporation and Nigerian state in human rights violation of oil-bearing communities in Rivers State. The descriptiveand survey design was adopted for the study. Data for the duty were obtained through questionnaire administered on 400 respondents who were randomly purposively selected. Simple percentage and chi-square statistical tool were adopted as the analytical tools for the study. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using the chi-square statistical analysis. It has been found out from this study that the environmental harmful practices of Oil Multinationals have driven the inhabitants of the Niger Delta region deeper into poverty, as activities of the companies have adversely affected their sources of livelihood and their lives as well. Also available data revealed that if petroleum development policies and practices are environmentally friendly, doing minimal harm to lives and livelihood and the Oil-producing communities rights are respected, then there will be good business relationship between oil-bearing communities and Oil Multinationals. Finally it is recommended from the study that there is a need of regulatory agencies in the oil industry and existing relevant laws should be amended to reflect current realities and international standards.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The discovery and subsequent exploration and exploitation of oil in the Niger Delta have its impacts on the oil bearing communities; such impacts are not only felt in their natural environment but also in the social, spiritual as well as their political environment.
These impacts has its basis deeply rooted in the human rights situation of the oil bearing in this areas confirming the views above, Okoko and Nna (1997:46) examined emerging trends and community perception in the Nigeria oil industry and noted that:
The impact is not only limited to their physical but their social environment… it touches for instance their relationship with their lands as farmers their swamps, rivers, creeks as fishermen…. It destroys not only farmlands, farm crops and economy but also destroys fish gear and canal or fish pond.
Such impact constitutes a significant violation on thepeople’s right to development, right over natural resources and the right to economic development as a result of oil industrial activities.
Human rights, apart from fundamental rights as entrenched in the Nigerian constitution includes in a more broad sense political and economic, rights cultural and historical rights as well as indigenous and religious right. The pattern of oil production and exploration has been assessed by scholars and agitators in the Niger delta as constituting significant threat to the existence of these rights. Such agitator in this issue is the case of Ken Saro-Wiwa who having examined the pattern off oil production and the right of man asserted that:
The nature of oil production and exploration in Nigeria negate international prescription. What they dare not do in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and other oil exploration countries are practiced to the later in Nigeria state has consistently enable these firms to operate under a regulation that shows no respect for the rights of man; these regulations silenced and suppressed the oil bearing communities from asking or demanding for at least an environmentally friendly practices.
The state is accused of complicity and direct infringement and violation of the right of the Niger Delta. This is directly violation of the economic rights of the people. Again,oil exploration and exploitation result in oil spills,gas flaring and other hazards in close proximity to human habitations.Oil spills result in pollution and contamination of the people’s ecosystem with varied impacts on the areas terrestrial and aquatic vegetation, marine life for which the vegetation provided a life support system has largely disappeared with the vegetation.
One observed development in the case is that the economic right of the people is directly violated.In most cases,oil exploration displaces the peasant as he is caused to lose his/her entitlement set. The magnitude of human rights violation orchestrated by oil exploration and exploration activities ranges from economic,social,natural,environmental rights to political and cultural rights violations.
There have been direct or overt attack and repression on oil bearing communities in Nigeria that attempt to demand for a change in the exploration practice since they are directly affected by the activity or practice.There have been cases of covert and overt operation by the military in Ogoni land resulting in loss of lives and properties, there have been the Massacre in Odi in 1999 and Odiama in 2005 by the Obasanjo administration.
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN THE NIGER DELTA