Niger Delta Human Development Report - UNDP Nigeria - United ...

to pockets of the region, in the absence of
what the government could have provided.
Infrastructure and Social Services
In general, the available social development
indicators in the Niger Delta region point
to inadequate, unavailable and poor quality
infrastructure and social services, from
water to telecommunications. The historical
neglect of the region's development poses
a steep barrier to attaining socio-economic
transformation and poverty alleviation.
Water supply
Chart 1: Percentage Distribution of Employed Household
Members by Industry of Employment (Niger Delta)
Source: NDDC Master Plan 2003/2004.
A vivid account of the water supply
situation was provided in the focus group
discussions held to prepare this report:
"Have you seen any taps here? … Water used to
Chart 1.2: Sources of Potable Water
Source: National Bureau of Statistics 2005.
NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT
run in public taps, but that had stopped some 20
years ago. We basically drink from the river and
creeks. Then, this rainy season is also a blessing
because we fetch water easily from God. Lack of
water has led some people to sink boreholes where
water is produced and sold…the cheapest is N5.00
per 20 litres…hygiene is secondary."
Data from the Federal Office of Statistics,
now the National Bureau of Statistics,
reveal that water in the majority of Niger
Delta states comes from unsafe supply
facilities, including rivers, lakes or ponds,
unprotected wells and boreholes (see chart
1.2). The Bureau classifies available sources
of potable water for household
consumption as: pipe borne, untreated pipe,
borehole, protected well, unprotected well,
river/lake/pond, vendor trucks and other
categories (see table A1.1 in the appendix).
In five of the nine states in the region-Akwa
Oil companies’
activities have
transformed the local
economy of a few parts
of the region through
attractive wages and
the provision of social
services. But
unemployment is also
rife.
Inadequate
infrastructure in the
delta is the result of
historical
neglect
Water in the majority of
Niger Delta states comes
from unsafe supply
facilities, including
rivers, lakes or ponds,
unprotected wells and
boreholes.
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