SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT DISCHARGE ON IBESE RIVER AND INHABITANTS OF VILLAGES ALONG ITS COURSE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Quest for industrial hazard impact both on the inhabitants and environment, necessitated the study of
Socio-economic Impact (SEI) of Industrial Effluent Discharged (IED) on Ibese river and inhabitants of
villages along its course in Nigeria. The SIE of IED was conducted after water quality result of the
Ibese River has been ascertained. Based on the water quality result, the river course was demarcated
into direct industrial effluent discharged Ibese river site, upper Ibese River site and control (free of
effluent discharge) river site outside the Ibese River location. The river that is Free of Industrial Efflu-
ent Discharge (FIED) site served as control. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample
10% of farmers from farmers’ organization list in IED and FIED to give a total of 180 farmers selected
for the research. Data were collected through the use of interview schedule and were analyzed using
descriptive and inferential statistics. Result revealed that high number (92.3mg/L) of phosphate an
acid element and low (3.30) dissolve oxygen were discovered in IED site. Concerning heavy metals,
higher mean level Fe 12.63, Pb 2.01 Cu 4.86 and Zn 7.88mg/L were found in IED water quality
analysis. Majority (80.0%) of the farmers in FIED areas cultivated between 5.1 and 20 hectares of
farms while 50.0% belong to this categories in IED. In FIED, higher proportion (86.0%, 64.0%, and
62.0%) generate income from crop planting, sheep and goat keeping and cassava processing re-
spectively whereas fewer (24.4%, 16.7% and 6.6%) generate income from these sources in IED site.
Impairment of used water was rated by 93.3% of the farmers as the most prominent harmful effect of
IED. Income discrepancy between industrial effluent discharge site and non industrial effluent dis-
charge site was statistically different at P<0.005. The finding revealed that SIE of IED is severe in IED
site.