ABSTRACT

The study analyzed the effectiveness of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) communication strategies in promoting environmental degradation impact management in Niger Delta, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: describe socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertain the environmental degradation impact management intervention by SPDC, assess their awareness on the various SPDC’s communication strategies in promoting environmental degradation impact management, ascertain the extent of exposure to SPDC communication strategies in the management of environmental degradation, ascertain the effectiveness of SPDC communication strategies in promoting environmental degradation impact management, determine the knowledge of the respondents on SPDC remediated land and water bodies, evaluate their perception on SPDC promotion of environmental degradation impact management in the degraded area, assess the level of participation of respondents in community mobilization and conferences and examine the adaptation methods engaged by respondents in the agricultural farming practices in the degraded area. Purposive and multi-stage random sampling techniques were employed to select 240 community members. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics (Kruskal Wallis, Z-statistics and Linear Multivariate Regression). The result showed that the mean age of the respondent were 41.0, 64.1% were males while84.0% were married. Community members were aware of SPDC communication strategies in promoting environmental degradation impact management namely; radio advertisement by SPDC (94.6%), television talk show (95.8%) and billboard promotional campaign (90.0%). The environmental degradation impact management intervention by SPDC provided starter pack for trained community members ( =3.3), delivery of household health care service ( =3.3), provision of scholarship to SPDC cluster community ( =3.2) and renovation of dilapidated town halls ( =3.5).  Community members were always exposed to SPDC communication strategies such as television talk show ( =3.5), billboard promotional campaign of shell’s activities ( = 3.4) and advocacy visit by SPDC to royal fathers ( =3.6) and these communication strategies were effective in promoting environmental degradation impact management interventions. The respondents had high participation on impact assessment studies ( =2.8), community-based pipeline surveillance ( =3.1), dialogue and peaceful resolution of disagreement with host community within conflict period ( =3.2).The study found that was a significant difference (P< 0.05) in the Abia, Bayelsa and River States on the extent of exposure to SPDC communication strategies in management of environmental degradation across the three (3) states in Niger Delta. The multivariate regression result indicates that there was a significant relationship between SPDC communication strategies and environmental degradation impact management intervention at 1%. This study concluded that SPDC addressed environmental degradation impact through some communication strategies. The study therefore recommends increase in the use of more SPDC mass media communication strategies in educating measures on remediation of polluted land and water bodies, provision of more infrastructures and equitable distribution of scholarships among cluster communities.