Effective Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Delivery as Panacea for Restiveness and Conflict in The Niger Delta: Role of The Mass Media

Aghogho L Imiti

doi:10.47191/ijsshr/v4-i5-38

Abstract

The Niger Delta has been a cauldron of restiveness and violent conflicts. Most of these conflicts result from the failure of the multinational corporations operating in the region to adequately discharge their Corporate Social Responsibility to the people. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility as the panacea for the restiveness and conflict in the region as we as the crucial role the mass media have to play in assisting the corporate organisations to effectively discharge their obligations to the people. It is propounded here that failure to disseminate relevant information in this regard has led to mistrust and misunderstanding which eventually culminate in restiveness and conflict. The role of the media is therefore equally examined. The paper discovers that the media are constrained in the performance of this role. These constraints are presented and ways of tackling them are proffered.

Highlights

The Niger Delta has been a cauldron of restiveness and violent conflicts
Restiveness and conflict have remained endemic in the region. Youths in such neglected communities take up arms to protest or even compel a stoppage of a particular company’s ongoing work because of the failure of such a company to discharge its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligation. It is against the above discussed scenario that this paper examines the issue of CSR as a way out of the perennial restiveness and communal conflicts plaguing the Niger Delta, with a direct focus on the role the mass media can play towards ensuring the effective discharge by companies of their CSR
The question now is, whether it is the inadequate or ineffective discharge of CSR by multinational companies in the Niger Delta that is responsible for conflict and restiveness in the region

Summary

Introduction

The Niger Delta has been a cauldron of restiveness and violent conflicts. Most of these conflicts result from the failure of the multinational corporations operating in the region to adequately discharge their Corporate Social Responsibility to the people. The exploration and exploitation of oil by multinational companies are activities that have resulted in restiveness and conflict in the area. It is against the above discussed scenario that this paper examines the issue of CSR as a way out of the perennial restiveness and communal conflicts plaguing the Niger Delta, with a direct focus on the role the mass media can play towards ensuring the effective discharge by companies of their CSR.

Results

Conclusion