SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF NIGERIAN COMPANIES (A CASE STUDY OF SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY AND CHEVRON)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCITON

1.1            BACKGROUND TO STUDY

Oil prospective began in Nigeria as Farback  as 1908 when a German company the Nigerian as Bitumen corporation started exploration in Araomi Area of the present Ondo State their preening effort however ended with out break of the first would war 1914 in 1937 oil prospective resumed in Nigeria shell (B.P) was awarded the sole right covering the whole territory of  Nigeria the activities were gain interrupted by the second world war but resumed in 1947 however it was not until 1958 that oil was discovered in commercial quantities at “Olobier mean port Harcourt (River State) after several years of search and an investment of our N30 million.

By 1961 other companies including chevron (Nigeria Ltd) had began exploration activities for oil in the on share and of shore area of Nigeria the exploration right which had formerly been granted to shell alone was now extended to the other companies in the line with the governments policy of increasing the pace of exploration in the  country.

1.2            STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

The oil industry is a vital factor of the nation economy and it ahs been a source of blessing to the members of the communities where they operate.

The local communities and the oil companies are commonly involved in the issue of social responsibility perception to this issue by both parties differ a lot this is based on each groups preference motive values and aspiration which sometime result in conflict and misunderstanding.