2. FORMALIZATION
[DAN] Good day, Eminent Judges, ladies and gentlemen, We are Team Electrum , and in this
Presentation, we shall be focusing on the Effects of Environmental Pollution caused by the oil industry on
the living conditions of the people in the Niger Delta. [LARA] We shall be taking you on a journey through
these areas, show-casing the 3 MAJOR problems that people in this region have faced and are still facing
as a result of the continuous and unmitigated oil-drilling activities going on in this part of Nigeria. [DAN]
We would also be suggesting ways of alleviating the living conditions of people in these communities.
My name is Ukasoanya Daniel, 300 Level Mechanical Engineering. I am the first Speaker on the Problem
of Unemployment
Hi, My name is Lara, 300 level, Architecture. I am continuing on the Problem of Unemployment
Hi, My name is Tolu, 500 Level Building Technology. I am the first Speaker on the Problem of Epidemics
and Inadequate health services.
Hi, My name is Terrence brande, 400 Level Sociology, I am continuing on the Problem of Epidemics and
Inadequate health services.
Hi, My name is ……….., 300 level mass commm., I am the First speaker on the Problem of Inadequate
Education for Youth.
Hi, My name is ……….., 300 level mass commm., I am continuing on the Problem of Inadequate Education
for Youth.
And Together, we are, SETTING THE PACE FOR CHANGE
4. DAN ON PROBLEM 1
UNEMPLOYMENT
As a result of the excessive oil drilling activities in the
Niger-Delta, there has been a surge in the rate of
unemployment in theses areas. According to statistics
given by Sweet Crude, a Crude oil Research Institute,
the percentage of the unemployed is put at 40% for
the ages 15-24 and 70-90% for adults. This is largely
due to the decimation of marine life and consequent
death of aquatic species which has caused most of the
natives who are fishermen by default, to become
dispossessed of their sources of livelihood.
5. TOLU ON PROBLEM 2;
UNEMPLOYMENT
• Also, due to the continuous and excessive oil spills in these
region, agricultural activities are beginning to suffer. Areas that
have been known to be fertile for farming in the past have
suddenly become barren or are getting close to being so. The
mangrove forest is slowly withering away and the agricultural
industry is suffering. This is particularly sad because some of the
natives, who used to make their living through subsistent
farming, also have to look elsewhere.
• In 2008, a tragedy befell the citizens of Bodo creek, a community
in the Niger delta who were poisoned by toxic waste from Shell
Oil’s operations. This graphic example clearly illustrates how the
land pollution has affected their major sources of livelihood.
VIDEO 2- MANGROVE FOREST
6. LARA ON PROBLEM 2
INCREASED CASES OF EPIDEMICS AND INADEQUATE
HEALTHCARE SERVICES
• As a consequence of the incessant oil spillage in the
Niger-Delta, an increased number of disease cases
has been recorded amongst the natives over the
last 50 years of oil exploration. Most of these
diseases are water borne and are caused when
some of the spills seep into the ground and
contaminate ground water. Also, many in the Niger-
Delta Region have complained that water from
freshly sunk boreholes show evidence of oil
contamination. But since they are left with no
alternatives, the natives use this same water for
various domestic purposes which has led to high
7. BLOSSOM ADDRESSING PROBLEM 3
INCREASED CASES OF EPIDEMICS AND INADEQUATE
HEALTHCARE SERVICES
• Besides, a process called Gas Flaring, which is
another pollution source that goes conjointly
with oil production, releases carbon monoxide
and other chemicals into the air. Gas flaring has
obvious negative health effects and doctors have
found unusually high occurrences of asthma,
bronchitis, and other breathing problems in
communities where gas flaring has been
practiced most. These, together with the fact
that medical attention for most villagers is hours
away by boat, has made life unbearable for
people in these communities.
8. SPEAKER 5 ON PROBLEM 3
INADEQUATE EDUCATION FOR THE YOUTH
• As a result of the social instability caused by the oil
drilling activities in the Niger-delta, Education has
now become a luxury that most people in affected
communities cannot afford. The reason is that most
of the areas in these communities have become unfit
for the construction of such social infrastructures like
Schools, Universities and Local learning centers. And
since most of the natives are unlearned, Most of the
teachers and tutors that can administer knowledge
have to come from nearby communities and cities.
But, as a result of the environmental degradation it
difficult to get these people to come down to these
9. TOMISIN ON PROBLEM 3
INADEQUATE EDUCATION FOR YOUTH
• Eminent Judges, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a
widely accepted fact, that when the mind is not
productively engaged, it has to be engaged in
some other negative business. In the absence of
education, to engage the minds of these young
people, they begin to indulge in social vices such
as Armed Robbery, Prostitution, drugs and other
criminal activities that are detrimental to the lives
of these youth. All these problems have caused
social unrest in the Niger-Delta and suitable
Actions have to be taken to curb these issues.
10. DAN
IN LINE WITH THIS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO
SUGGEST WAYS OF ALLEVIATING THE LIVING
CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
12. LARA
• Statistics Reveal that it will take 30 long years and a
whooping 600 billion dollars to eradicate the effects of the
oil spill in the Niger-Delta. This might look like an uphill
task. But us remember the words of John F. Kennedy, He
said
• “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days.
Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in
the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our
lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.”
- John .F. Kennedy (Inaugural Address, Jan 20, 1961)
- Therefore the solutions we provide in this presentation are
just short-term ways of creating the long-term solutions we
seek.
13. DAN
• We suggest that Oil companies in Nigeria should
be compelled to abide by world environmental
standards as they carry out their business. They
should also modernize their equipment and
establish proactive maintenance schedules for
ageing and corroding pipes that cause leaks.
Before drilling commences in an area, a
satisfactory and exhaustive environmental impact
assessment should be conducted to ascertain the
impact of prospecting in the area.
14. LARA
• The Nigerian government should also impress
upon oil companies to become very responsive
when spills occur to restore the pipes. Emergency
response teams must always be handy to
immediately plug leaks while full-blown
maintenance crews are dispatched to provide
lasting fixes. Also fully equipped educational
centres should be established in major locations
around these communities to make it easier for
the youth in these areas to access adequate
educational services.
15. TOLU
• Of course, in the unfortunate event of a spill,
the companies must always compensate the
communities affected and provide continuous
education on how to deal with the spills. It is
also important that more and better-equipped
hospitals are provided for treatment of people
who fall sick from ailments that may be
pollution-related.
16. BLOSSOM
• On the issue of gas flaring, the oil companies
should modernize their drilling equipment to
bring them in line with modern ones that
make the need for gas flaring obsolete. Also,
since some oil reserves contain more gas than
others, drill sites that reveal high levels should
be left alone until better ways of containing
associated gas are found.
17. SPEAKER 5
• Also, it has been recently stated in the United
States that a plant called `Kenaf' and `Dorama'
in the northern part of Nigeria, which closely
resembles `Rozel', used for `zobo' and also in
the same family with Okro, can be used to
clean oil spillage. This crop can grow easily in
Nigeria without special efforts and should be
employed in curbing the issue of oil spillage in
the Niger-Delta.
18. TOMISIN
• The Niger-Delta, is Nigeria’s home of tourism, abode of
diverse cultures, citadel of natures most beautiful
features and the treasure base of the Nation. But
today, we behold all these problems that confront this
region and we are saddened. Nevertheless, tabled
before us are the solutions that have been proffered to
halt the endless exploitation of the Niger-Delta. So let
us as ONE NATION, ONE PEOPLE, ONE FAMILY, ONE
BODY with ONE HEART join forces and bring PEACE,
JOY, and HOPE to the indigenes of the Niger Delta as
together WE ARE [RESTORING THE NIGER-DELTA].