TITLE:
Oil Spill Management in Nigeria: SWOT Analysis of the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) Process
AUTHORS:
Akpofure Rim-Rukeh
KEYWORDS:
Joint Investigation Visit, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Nigeria, SWOT Analysis, Oil Spill, Community Trepresentatives
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.6 No.3,
March
27,
2015
ABSTRACT: The Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) process of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response
Agency (NOSDRA) have been analysed using the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat
(SWOT) methodology. The oil spill Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) is empowered
by the Oil Spill Recovery, Clean-up, Remediation and Damage Assessment
Reulations, 2011 Section 5. The strength of the JIV
process lies within its participatory nature and the well defined legal
structure of the process. The oil spill Joint Investigation Visit process in
Nigeria has several
weaknesses—lack of independence and oversight, lack of technical competence
on the part of regulatory bodies, lack of technical competence on the part of community representative, lack of transparency on the
part of oil companies, lack of general procedure for determining the actual
cause of spill, lack of general procedure for determining the actual volume of
oil spilled, determination on the size of the impacted area and exclusion of
women from the JIV Process. The JIV process for oil spill presents a number of
opportunities such as; increasing community awareness, growing consciousness through Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and capacity building of stakeholders. Possible
threats to the JIV process include; poor governance and corruption, manipulation of the Process by the spiller
through the start date of an oilspill and obvious lack of
transparency. Improved
effectiveness of the JIV process will depend on strengthening of government agency coordination, integrated decision-making adequate
training to various stakeholders and supporting infrastructure for purposeful
monitoring and enforcement.