COMMUNITY RELATIONS STRATEGY AND MINIMIZATION OF HOST COMMUNITIES INDUCED CRISIS IN THE UPSTREAM OIL SECTOR IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The epidemic of crisis between the upstream oil sector and their host communities in Rivers State, Nigeria is worrisome hence it needs urgent attention to minimize the negative impact of this scourge on the socio-economic life of the oil producing companies. The objectives of this study among others include: to ascertain the cause of the perennial community relations induced crisis in the upstream oil sector in Rivers State. Secondly, identify the kind of community relations strategy that can be engaged in the minimization of the crisis in the upstream oil sector in Rivers State, etc. This study anchored on the “Iron Law of Responsibility” theory because of its relevance to the study and it adopted qualitative and quantitative research methods. Survey research was adopted as the research design for this study. The population of this study includes indigenes of Ibaa, Rumuekepe, Elele-Alimini, Aluu and Igwuruta communities while the sample size for the study is one hundred persons using systematic random sampling technique. Questionnaire was the major research instrument used in the data gathering. Consequently, the following findings were made among others: lack of corporate social responsibility programmes in the host communities is the cause of the perennial crisis in the upstream oil sector in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study also found that the major impact of the crisis on the upstream oil sector is the constant stoppage of the operation of the oil exploration and exploitation companies in the state under study. To this end, the study recommends for the adoption of proactive and people-participatory community relations strategies by the upstream oil companies. This study also advocates for a paradigm shift in the community relations strategies of the upstream oil companies. It is also the position of this study that the upstream oil companies should see corporate social responsibility programmes as a major recipe and catalyst for building and maintaining the friendship of the host communities to minimize the perennial crisis bedeviling them.