IMPACTS OF ARTISANAL CRUDE OIL POLLUTANTS ON POST FOOD CRISIS AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN IKWERRE Local government area (L.G.A) OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

his study investigated impacts of artisanal crude oil pollutants on post food crisis and respiratory diseases in Ikwerre L.G.A of Rivers State, Nigeria. Two objectives and two research questions were used for the study. This study used descriptive research design. The population of the study consisted of residents of Ikwerre L.G.A of Rivers State, Nigeria. A sample of 200 respondents was selected for the study. This was achieved using purposive sampling technique to independently select artisanal crude oil refiners at their refining sites in Ikwerre L.G.A in Rivers State, Nigeria. The instrument titled Impacts of Artisanal Crude Oil pollutants on Post Food Crisis and Respiratory Diseases Questionnaire (IACOPPFCRDQ) was used for data collection.  The instrument was content validated by professionals in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba. Furthermore, test retest method was used to establish the reliability value of 0.82 Correlation Coefficient for the study. Percentage and a frequency table were used to analyze biographical data of respondents for the study while mean and standard deviation were used as statistical methods to answer the research questions. The findings showed that impacts of artisanal crude oil pollutants were responsible for food crisis and respiratory diseases in the study area. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made among others, that the Federal Government in conjunction with the State Government should create awareness and educate the people about the dangers of crude oil pollutants and their impacts on agricultural produce which in turn led to food crisis in the study area.