OIL WEALTH, WATER SCARCITY

THE UNFULFILLED QUEST FOR CLEAN WATER IN NIGERIA’S OKORITAK COMMUNITY

Abstract

Despite Nigeria’s vast petroleum wealth, many oil-producing communities’ remains trapped in environmental degradation and acute water insecurity.  The paradox of resource abundance and socio-environmental deprivation is epitomized in Okoritak community, where oil wealth co-exists with acute water scarcity. This paper examines the irony of resource abundance and basic service deprivation through a case study of the Okoritak community in Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It interrogates the structural, legal, and governance failure that have perpetuated the community’s prolonged and unfulfilled quest for access to clean and safe water despites its proximity to one of Nigeria’s lucrative oil reserves. It delves into the inequitable resource distribution that has compounded the water crisis. Drawing on field studies, legal frameworks and policy analyses, the paper highlights the role of oil exploration activities in contaminating water sources and explores the inadequacies of State and corporate interventions in addressing the crisis. The paper further investigates the intersection of environmental justice and human rights, advocating for sustainable policy reforms and community-driven solutions. Ultimately, it calls for integrated water management strategies to ensure sustainable access to clean water and improve public health outcomes in the community. The findings reveals a persistence disconnect between constitutional guarantees, statutory frameworks, and practical enforcement, Regulatory fragmentation, limited community participation and weak accountability mechanisms have compounded the crisis. The paper argues that the failure to secure potable water in Okoritak community reflects deeper governance deficits in resource management and distributive justice. It concludes by proposing a rights-based community-centered approach that integrate stronger regulatory enforcement, corporate environmental responsibility, and judicial oversight