Implication of Oil Exploration on Livelihood of Residents Around oil Rig Environs and Assessment of oil Exploration Policies: A Case of the Ghana Jubilee Oil

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to explore and analyze the influence of oil exploration on community livelihoods and to assess oil exploration policies in Ghana. The study was undertaken in two communities (Half Assini and Efaso) in the Jomoro District of the Western region. The study employed purposive sampling of residents living in the Jubilee Oil field environs. After, simple random sampling was used to select 300 respondents from the study area out of a population of about 5000 to 10,000. Community livelihoods considered for this study include household income, education, nutrition and health. The likert type attitudinal question: ‘improving, no change and declining’ in a particular livelihood outcome was used. Results from the multinomial logistic estimation model revealed that the likelihood of the influence of development interventions was negatively and significantly related with respondents’ perception of household income, nutrition and education. That of household health was positive and not significant. Policies on oil exploration are found in the Environment Protection Agency Act of 1994 (Act 490) and the Environmental Assessment Regulations Act of 1999.

Key words: oil exploration, developmental intervention, community livelihoods, oil exploration policies