OIL EXPLOITATION AND THE ATTENDANT PHYSICAL PLANNING IMPLICATIONS IN ILAJE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the physical planning implications of oil exploitation in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, assessed the impact of oil exploitation on the socio-economic livelihoods of people in the study area, the scale of environmental degradation, and the consequences of oil exploitation on landforms and ecological features in the study area. The study made use of both primary and secondary data. The primary data were principally collected through the administration of structured questionnaires, while the secondary data were obtained from relevant published documents. The target population for the study was 289,838, population of Ilaje Local Government Area. However, a sampling frame of 9,838 was selected from the 9 communities purposively determined from 33 towns that constitute the Local Government Area. From this frame, a total of 3%, translating to 296 was taken as the sample size for the study. Systematic sampling method was used in administering the questionnaires in the sampled towns. In this process, appropriate sampling interval was determined applied in each town. A pre-numbered process of selection was adopted to determine a random starting point between the 1st and the next building in each town sampled. Data analysis for the study was based on issues relating to oil exploitation and physical planning implications, oil exploitation and land degradation, and oil exploitation and socio-economic life styles of the residents in the study area. This was with a view to determine the impact of oil exploitation on the environment of the study area. In view of the foregoing, the research summarized that oil exploitation has a monumental impact on the physical and socio-economic environment of Ilaje Local Government Area. The research recommends bioremediation approach, physical mapping of the study area, and provision of social infrastructure, joint environmental monitoring and surveillance, village regrouping, and rejuvenating of economic activities toward poverty alleviation in the study area.