Environmental Management System Compliance of Companies Operating within Nigerian Port Authority, Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria

Elenwo E.I., and Dollah O.C.

Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Social Science University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B.5323, Choba, RiversState, Nigeria.

Accepted March 26, 2019

ISO14001-14004, Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standard has been developed to assist organizations and companies, perform their corporate roles, protect their identity and manage their activities within the area of operations in an environmentally friendly manner world-wide. This study examined the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) compliance of companies operating within Nigerian Ports Authority Rivers Ports, Port Harcourt. A total of one hundred (100) respondents with well-structured questionnaires were interviewed from the sampled companies. Likert scale was weighted in the design of the questionnaires from (1-5) to ascertain EMS compliance in the company’s operations. Analysis showed that the management commitment on EMS improvement was 50%; adequate training was 30%, while strong regulation enforcement was 20%. The analysis confirms that without these factors, the implementation of EMS in these companies would be very difficult. Their responses were also sort whether EMS improved their operations. There was a statistically significant difference between EMS awareness levels and the levels of compliance. This shows that though the staff knows about EMS, they do not comply with its standards in the improvements of their operations. The study recommends the adoption of EMS programmes in the companies in Rivers State to achieve organizational goals and to improve company’s performances as well as to foster sustainability in the development of the Nigerian environment.

Key words: Environmental, Management-Systems, Compliance, Nigerian, Ports-Authority.

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