EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND IT'S POSSIBLE CONTROL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY: There are a total of 983,213 square kilometres of land that make up the country of Nigeria, which is located in West Africa. The World Bank has released figures that indicate the country currently has a population of more than 150 million people. This translates in an average density of more than 120 persons per square kilometre, which is a significant increase from the previous population density. In the annals of Nigeria's long and dramatic history of economic progress, the modern sorts of industrial activity are a relatively new occurrence. This is because they are relatively new. A considerable craft sector existed in Nigeria throughout the pre-colonial period, despite the fact that there was no contemporary manufacturing activity in the country at the time. At the same time as there was a rise in the need for industrial raw materials in Europe, the beginning of the Second World War and the aftermath of it caused significant disruptions to the economy of Nigeria. At the same time, there was also an increase in the demand for raw materials in Europe. A pattern of assembly-type import substitution emerged as the main form of industrial expansion as time went on (Abumere, 2022). This was due to the poor technical base that existed at the time. However, the country's achievement of political self-determination in 1960 opened the door to the possibility of expanding its strategy of import substitution and developing its potentials for a genuine economic takeoff through the production of capital goods. This was made possible by the fact that the country was able to achieve political self-determination. The agricultural sector was the largest contributor to the Nigerian economy prior to the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri, which was located in Rivers State in the year 1956. Up until the year 1970, this continues to be the situation. During the 1970s, there was a considerable increase in the number of industrial endeavours that were carried out as a direct result of the oil boom that took place. As a result of the abundance of financial resources derived from oil and the lack of a development goal, urbanisation and industrialization occurred without any discernible direction. Despite the fact that this growth was much desired and necessary, it turned out to be a burden not because of the development itself but rather because there were not enough environmental protection mechanisms in place to direct it. This resulted in the establishment of industries without taking into account the impact that they would have on the ecosystem that was surrounding them, which ultimately resulted in the destruction of forests and the growth of deserts. The processing method that was utilised in a number of these industries frequently resulted in the generation of hazardous waste and effluent emissions that were in excess of what was deemed to be acceptable. These events culminated in the destruction of the ecosystem, as well as the occurrence of horrible ecological and human catastrophes. This was the climax of these events. Due to the aforementioned considerations, it became necessary for the expansion of industrial activity to be accompanied by the preservation of the natural environment. The subsequent events led to the enactment of various pieces of legislation for the purpose of protecting the environment, which are also referred to as environmental laws. The researcher, on the other hand, wants to provide an overview of the various environmental pollution issues, as well as the difficulties that have been encountered in developing an efficient environmental enforcement programme and the potential solutions that have been proposed by the government in order to address these issues 202; Acho, 2021). The extraction of oil in the region of Nigeria known as the Niger Delta is the primary factor that drives the economy of the country, but it is also the primary factor that contributes to the major environmental and social problems that confront the region. Throughout the course of Nigeria's history, the exploration, extraction, and refining of oil have resulted in a wide range of environmental and ecological challenges across the country. Environmental problems such as oil spills, petrol flares, the destruction of habitat, contamination of air and water, and the deterioration of land are among these challenges. Additionally, the operations of illegal oil bunkering and illegal refineries that are carried out by indigenous and certain highly placed individuals in government are a substantial cause to the oil pollution that is present in the same region. The pollution that is caused by these activities accounts for a sizeable portion of the contamination. It is not uncommon for the chemical properties of oil that has been spilled to have an impact on the productiveness of the soil and to contaminate water bodies. This, in turn, may cause harm that cannot be undone to agricultural areas as well as aquatic bodies. The flaring of petrol is a significant environmental and economic problem in Nigeria, and the country's annual emissions of carbon dioxide are approximately 70 million metric tonnes (Agbola, 2021). According to Agukoronye (2022), this has a detrimental effect on the socioeconomic activities of the communities that are located in the surrounding area, which are primarily dependent on the fishing and agricultural industries. Flaring is estimated to be responsible for 49 premature deaths, 5000 respiratory disorders among children, around 120,000 asthma attacks, and 8 new causes of cancer each year in just one region of the Niger Delta (Environmental Rights Action and the Climate Justice Programme). These figures are based on estimates from the Environmental Rights Action and Climate Justice Programme.
One of the most severe environmental issues that Nigeria is currently facing is the poisoning of its water supply. According to Areola (2022), the enormous forestry sector in Nigeria is the key factor that contributes to the problem of water pollution in the country. Deforestation and improper methods of soil tillage both contribute to an increase in the concentration of soil particles that make their way into water bodies, which in turn leads to an increase in the sediment loads in those water bodies. This cycle continues until the water bodies get an increased amount of sediment. The discharge of waste materials from industrial activities into bodies of water is another key factor that contributes to the pollution problem in Nigeria. As a consequence of discharges from many industries, including but not limited to petroleum, mining, iron and steel, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, the levels of sulphates and nitrates that are found in bodies of water have increased. Furthermore, as a consequence of these discharges, the characteristics of water bodies, such as their colour and odour, have been altered (Aribigbola, 2020). Because of the existence of these metals and other chemical substances, the water bodies and the soils tend to become more poisonous. This is because of the presence of these chemicals. A sizeable population in Nigeria obtains the majority of the water that they use in their homes, including for drinking and cooking, from ponds, streams, and shallow wells. This includes the water that they use for cooking and drinking. As a consequence of this, water pollution is a huge public health problem that puts the lives of around forty million people in jeopardy due to a wide range of infectious diseases, such as cholera, dysentery, diarrhoea, and typhoid (Aribigbola, 2020). The degradation of the environment that has taken place in Nigeria has been significantly influenced by waste that has been produced by both households and industries throughout the country. Significant environmental and aesthetic problems are caused in the majority of Nigeria's urban districts by the improper disposal of municipal solid trash and industrial garbage, as well as by the poor management of both forms of waste. These problems are caused by the fact that both categories of waste are not properly managed. The majority of municipal districts are currently producing more rubbish than they are able to adequately manage (Bain, 2022). This is on account of the fact that excessive population and the growth of slums have contributed to this situation. As a consequence of this, garbage heaps have collected in "many spots, obstructing roadways and making travel along alleyways and footpaths, which is impossible" (Aribigbola, 2020). When it comes to the disposal of waste in Nigeria, the most common method is the transfer of trash from one area to another, followed by the incineration of trash. The initial approach involves transferring debris from a location that is judged to have a higher aesthetic value to a location that is perceived to have a lower value. Moving from one region to another is the movement that is taking place here. Because of the emission of gases and other particulate matter, the practice of incinerating rubbish as a method of waste disposal frequently contributes to the degradation of the environment. These gases and particulate matter include carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, halogenated carbons, and a variety of other gases and substances.
In order for the government to be able to regulate the problems that are associated with environmental pollution, it is necessary for the government to enact and enforce the appropriate environmental laws. In order to put a stop to the recent surge in environmental pollution in Nigeria, it is possible to accomplish this goal by putting in place the appropriate enforcement institutions for environmental pollutant pollution. The government must act in this manner because it is necessary.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Irrespective of the numerous environmental laws enacted to protect the environment, environmental degradation has continued unabated. Oil spillage and gas flaring activities are still commonplace in Nigeria, especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta. Gas flaring has also continued unabated irrespective of the Nigerian government’s directive to end flaring by 2010 (Kalu, 2009). The Idoho oil spill incidence of 1997 spilled 40,000 barrels of crude oil into the environment. It travelled all the way from Akwa Ibom state to Lagos state dispersing oil through the coastal states, up to the Lagos coast. According to the Department of Petroleum Resources, between 1997 and 2001, Nigeria recorded a total number of 2,097 oil spill incidents amounting to 1,947,600 barrels of crude oil. Thousands of barrels of oil have been split into the environment through our oil pipelines and tanks in the country. Enforcement of environmental regulations is still poor as industries continue to discharge untreated waste water into the environment. Heaps of refuse are always a constant sight to behold in Nigerian streets and markets.

Most recently, in December 2011, the SPDC’s Bonga offshore platform spilled about 40, 000 barrels of crude oil into Nigerian waters. On January 16 2012, a gas explosion occurred at the Finuwa oil field owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigerian government was shockingly silent about these two incidents. This study however wants to identify the problems of environmental pollution and proffer solution to the issue.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of this study:

1.  To identify the issues of environmental pollution in Nigeria.

2.  To analyze the impact of environmental pollution in Nigeria.

3.  To determine the solutions to the challenges of environmental pollution in Nigeria.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  What are the issues of environmental pollution in Nigeria?

2.  What is the impact of environmental pollution in Nigeria?

3.  What are the solutions to the challenges of environmental pollution in Nigeria?

1.5   HYPOTHESIS

HO: Environmental pollution is not a major challenge in Nigeria

HA: Environmental pollution is a major challenge in Nigeria

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of this study:

1.  The outcome of this research will educate the general public on the issues and the adverse effect of environmental pollution in Nigeria.

2.  The findings from this study is going to necessitate measures that will lead to demand for improved implementation of environmental pollution control laws in Nigeria

3.  This research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if applied, it will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic.

1.7   SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study on environmental pollution in Nigeria will cover all cases of environmental pollution ranging from air and water pollution due to oil exploration and refining, effluent waste from industries, dump sites all over Nigeria market and streets and even noise pollution.

LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

 Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.