Tragedy of Commons: Analysis of Oil Spillage, Gas Flaring and Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta of Nigeria

The hue and cry about the stark despoliation of the Niger Delta has been ongoing; and the issues at stake have centered mostly on the gross and glaring underdevelopment in the area despite the vast resources that have accrued to the Nigerian state from the region. Perhaps the most disturbing, is that oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta is carried out without regard to international health and safety standards or observed minimum levels of protection to the environment from pollution arising from oil spillage and gas flaring. This paper is therefore geared towards addressing the problem of oil spillage, gas flaring and sustainable development in the region. In addition, it promotes the interest in getting to grips with a clear appreciation of the importance and implications of embracing sustainable development through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This is because EIA has become an avenue whereby the principles of sustainability can be integrated into a country’s development activities. Finally, the paper contends that ways of controlling environmental hazards have been clearly stated in the various laws and decrees promulgated in Nigeria. Those efforts therefore, should be focused on implementing these laws and decrees as a means of achieving sustainable development for the region.