Perception and Practice of Individual Environmental Responsibility in Selected Niger Delta Communities

It is a trend in the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta to lay the blame for environmental degradation at the doorsteps of multinational companies and government departments. But in reality , people and households also play an important role in causing environmental degradation through through environmentally detrimental practices and the absence of basic ecological morality. The onus of this paper is exploring how residents in selected Niger Delta communities perceive their role toward the environment. This paper examines the degree of environmental quality encroachment around households by means in-situ water and air quality analysis. In addition to this analysis, this study also administered questionnaires to pinpoint perceptions, habits and opinions relating to environmental degradation. The questionnaire administration and environmental sampling for this study were conducted from July 2024 to January 2025. Findings from the study indicate that although there is general awareness of environmental degradation amongst Niger Delta residents , there is little concomitant commitment to environmentally conscious behavior. The field studies indicated that water testing parameters showed elevated levels of electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and salinity at Kula, Agudama, and Oluama, while in some households in Kokori and Elume lower than expected water pH levels were detected. The measurement of air quality also revealed greater levels of suspended particulate matter and volatile organic compounds in ambient air in Kokori and Elume localities. As an outcome of its findings, this study calls for better grassroots-level environmental education and assimilation of Africa's ecological ethics in an attempt to induce a shift from passive awareness to proactive environmental responsibility.