ASSESSMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES STRATEGIES OF CHEVRON & SHELL OIL COMPANIES IN EKEREMOR & YENAGOA COMMUNITIES IN BAYELSA STATE

Abstract

The study assessed corporate social responsibility strategies of Chevron & Shell Oil Companies in Ekeremor and Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State.  The objectives were to find out the corporate social responsibility strategies of Chevron & Shell Oil Companies in Ekeremor and Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State, determine the effectiveness of these corporate social responsibility strategies in addressing the developmental needs of Ekeremor & Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State, examine the level of community participation with the corporate social responsibility interventions of Chevron and Shell, ascertain the level of satisfaction of community members with Chevron and Shell projects and determine measures Chevron & Shell oil companies can adopt to improve on the impact and sustainability of corporate social responsibility in Ekeremor & Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State. The study employed social exchange theory to give the work a theoretical base.  The population of the study comprises Ekeremor & Yenagoa communities, which was 1,205,266.  A sample size of 400 was determined using Taro Yamane’s (1967) statistical tool as a guide.  The survey research design was used for   the study.  The multistage sampling technique was used.  Questionnaire was the instrument for gathering relevant data.  Data were computed in tables, percentages while the questions were analyzed in four point likert scale (weighted mean score) graduated in ground mean.  The finding revealed that provision of infrastructural facilities, community and stakeholder engagement, provision of skill acquisition and youth empowerment programme, environmental management, provision of scholarship for pupils and students and provision of health facilities were the corporate social responsibilities of Chevron and Shell oil companies, in Ekeremor and Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State. The finding affirmed that community engagement through strengthening and implementation of memorandum of understanding reached with communities, engaging capacity building, engaging participatory needs assessment, regular transparency reporting, project evaluation and sustainability were the measures Chevron & Shell has employed to improve on the impact and sustainability of corporate social responsibility strategies in Ekeremor & Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State. The finding also affirmed that the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility strategies of Chevron and Shell oil companies in Bayelsa State is poor.  The finding showed that the extent to which stakeholders of Ekeremor and Yenagoa communities in Bayelsa State participate in the design and implementation of corporate social responsibility project of Chevron and Shell is low.  The finding further affirmed that the level satisfaction of community members with Chevron and Shell corporate social responsibility interventions is poor.  The study concluded that community stakeholders and management of multinational oil companies in Niger Delta communities especially Bayelsa State should partner together to drive development projects and programmes. The study recommended that Chevron and Shell as well as other multinational oil companies should monitor and engage in community participatory needs assessment plan to be effective in their performance in meeting the needs of the host communities in the Niger Delta communities especially Bayelsa State in order to end the lingering crises between them.