Violent conflicts and sustainable development in Bayelsa State

Abstract

Although the literature on the Niger Delta has highlighted the impact of the violence raging in the region, the analysis appears to have under-emphasised the effects of violent conflicts on sustainable development in the region. This study sets out to fill this gap. To achieve this, an empirical investigation involving 30 communities was conducted. The study shows that violent conflicts have undermined environmental quality through pollution and unsustainable exploitation of resources. The destruction of lives and property, the stagnation of infrastructure and agricultural development, and the insecurity caused by violence are noted to have constrained productivity, wealth creation and poverty reduction. Governance based on accountability, transparency, and the pursuit of the public good or common interest is seen as the most likely means to end the violence and secure sustainable development in the state.