Niger Delta Remediation – Complex Balancing among the Local Community, Government Agencies, NGOs, Cleanup Contractors, and the Petroleum Industry; An Example from Bodo Ogoniland, Nigeria.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Oil-related damage to productive mangrove habitat is prevalent in most areas of the Niger Delta where oil operations (drilling, pipelines and oil export) are present. The remediation and restoration of these areas is one of the most intractable problems confronting the oil industry and government today. The formation of the Bodo Mediation Initiative (BMI) with a partnership between the various parties has been mostly successful to date and offers a path forward to other parts of the Delta. Ogoniland, where Bodo is located, has a long history of agitations against the oil industry as a result of dwindling livelihoods and deteriorating public health largely perceived to be caused by the degradation in environmental quality due to oil spills. In 2008, two large oil spills occurred from operational breaks in the Trans Niger Pipeline and subsequently ~1000 ha of mangroves were directly killed by the spills. From 2009 onward, spills from illegal activities (oil theft, transport and refining) became common, inhibiting potential mangrove recovery further affecting the livelihood of many Bodo residents. The BMI was formed in 2013 under the auspices of the Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria with a focus on building trust between the pipeline operating oil company and the local community, in order to initiate cleanup and restoration of the damaged mangrove habitat around Bodo. The mediation process of the BMI was fraught with difficulties due to internal community squabbles arising largely from a misperception regarding the attendant benefits to the community. After a series of delays and mediation efforts, cleanup began in 2017 and continues until present (2019) with planned continuance to 2020. While the Project has obtained many successes, the inability to prevent continuing oil theft and illegal refining is a notable failure, causing continued spillages to the area and setbacks to the cleanup and restoration program being undertaken.