Relationship between Petrochemical Pollution and Oculo-Visual Health in Onelga Region of the Niger Delta

Abstract

Common sense and simple economics suggest that countries endowed with an abundance of natural resources should prosper. Yet over many years, it has been observed that developing nations rich in oil, gas or mineral resources have been disadvantaged in the drive for economic growth. It is rather unfortunate that, after over fifty years of oil exploration and exploitation in Nigeria, the basic infrastructures seem to be in decay (as roads for instance, are now death traps, power supply is epileptic, poverty is an endemic problem as most of the erstwhile fertile lands in Niger Delta region is infertile and devastated by pollution, which invariably affects the health in general and the oculo-visual health in particular, of inhabitants of that region. The research design of this study was anchored on document analysis, which was based on an examination of records from three private eye clinics in Ogba, Egbema, Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, Nigeria. The population of this study comprised children, young adults, and workers living in and around ONELGA. The age range of the subjects is 6 months to 70 years. The study revealed that no significant relationship was found between oculo-visual health and general well-being of the citizens. The study concludes that in spite of the fact that there is no significant relationship between petrochemical pollution and oculo-visual health, there is the need to protect the vulnerable in the society from the harmful effects of petrochemicals on oculo-visual well-being.