Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations, Response Actions And Soot Pollution Conundrum In Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Résumé 0

Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGOs) in contemporary global formation have gradually developed into an important force in promoting quality environmental governance and advocacy. This has been linked to their growth, broad range of experience, expertise, and influence on issues of public concern. However, how this narrative has affected the emergence of pervasive soot pollution in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, needs proper documentation. This study examines the response of ENGOs to mitigation-adaptation awareness advocacy for urban dwellers amidst soot pollution conundrum in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. In the context of urban collectives and their interaction with a changing environment, the study explores ENGOs’ response to mitigation-adaptation awareness designs and implementation in Port Harcourt. A concurrent mixed-method design using questionnaires and key informant interviewees (KIIs) was employed to collect relevant data from seven purposively selected ENGOs in Port Harcourt, and six officials from the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority, and the River State Ministry of Health. Findings suggest that, as a result of the permeating condition of soot pollution in Port Harcourt, ENGOs made efforts to design and implement different advocacy strategies including collaborations with media outfits, international organisations, and government institutions. However, these mechanisms are not effective enough, given their narrow scope in design and implementation. The study concluded that defectiveness is caused by inadequate government/public support which appears in the areas of security, knowledge sharing, and research. Other challenges include inadequate funding, a poor trust system, and excessive bureaucratic bottlenecks in accessing foreign assistance.