Petroleum Exploitation and Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Labour Output in the Rural Economy of Delta State, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of petroleum exploitation and the temporal and spatial dynamics of labour output in the rural economy of Delta State, Nigeria, between 2001 and 2006. The study utilized data from both primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the survey of selected settlements and heads of households in which structured questionnaire was administered. A multistage sampling technique was employed in the selection of sample. The first stage involved a random selection of 10 settlements from 40 oil-producing settlements in the study area. The second stage involved systematic selection of 560 heads of households out of 5,615 households enumerated in the sampled settlements. The data collected were analysed using the pair-wise Student's t-test and the One-way Analysis of Variance. The results show that temporal dynamics of labour output in the primary sector were significant. Also, spatial changes in labour output were influenced by distance from petroleum exploitation sites over the two-timed period. Impact evaluation of petroleum exploitation activities is recommended for sustainable development of the physical environment and labour force of the region.