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

Table 2.15: Categorization of Local Governments by HPI-1 Performance
HPI-1 Number of local government areas Total number
Low (less Medium (20.595 High (27.159
than 20.595) to 27.158) and above)
Cross River 2 14 2 18
Abia - 14 3 17
Edo 10 8 - 18
Ondo - 2- 18 20
Akwa Ibom 5 21 5 31
Bayelsa - 6 2 8
Delta 11 14 - 25
Imo - 22 5 27
Rivers 3 19 1 23
Niger Delta 31 116 36 187
Source: Computed from the fieldsurvey conducted for this report.
Areas without oil
facilities appear to fare
better on the poverty
index than those with
oil facilities—another
indication of the
unequal distribution of
oil resources.
Map 2.10 shows the HPI-1 scores in relation
to the distribution of oil facilities. As
is the case with the HDI, localities with oil
facilities could be assumed to attract more
social and economic activities and to score
better. Unfortunately, this is not quite the
case—most areas with oil facilities have
high or medium scores, indicating pervasive
poverty. Areas without oil facilities
appear to fare better than those with oil
facilities—another indication of the unequal
distribution of oil resources.
The high scores on the HPI-1 in those areas
without oil facilities are not easy to explain
by looking at the individual parameters that
make up the index. In Abia, Akwa Ibom,
Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo and Rivers
states, most localities with a high or medium
HPI-1 score also rate high or medium
on the life expectancy index. The
same is true but to a lesser extent in the
correlation between the HPI-1 and the
educational index. A few localities with a
high HPI-1 score low ratings on both the
life expectancy and educational indices,
particularly in Edo State (e.g., Ovia North-
East, Ovia South-West and Orhiomwon),
Abia State (e.g., Ikwuano, Ngwa, Ukwa
East, etc.) and Akwa Ibom State (e.g.,
Mkpat Enin).
All but two of the local government areas
in Ondo State (Akoko North West and
Akoko South East) have high HPI-1
scores. Cases of low HPI-1 ratings indicate
that the Niger Delta region has resources
beyond oil and gas that can generate
sustained economic growth and development.
The Niger Delta is so richly
endowed that all that needs to be done is
to harness, in a more coordinated manner,
the diverse possibilities within the region.
The GDI for Local Government Areas
In terms of gender, many localities did
relatively well on the equally distributed
education index, but poorly on the equally
distributed income index. The best performers
on the GDI are Ondo East
(0.556) and Ondo West (0.553) in Ondo
State, Oredo in Edo State (0.544), Port
Harcourt in Rivers State (0.543) and Calabar
Municipal in Cross River State (0.543).
The worst performing local government
areas include Mkpat Enin in Akwa Ibom
State (0.295), Burutu in Delta State (0.307)
and Mbo in Akwa Ibom State (0.310).
These scores may be compared with the
national GDI of 0.439 as well as the GDI
for the worst performing country in sub-
68 NIGER DELTA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT