News
FG Extends Gas Flare Deadline To 2020
The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has described the Federal Government’s decision to further extend the gas flare – out date by International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta to year 2020 as the extension of an illegality that started with previous administrations.
In a statement, yesterday, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Godwin Uyi Ojo, said the position of the group is premised on media reports which indicated that the Group General Manager, Nigerian Petroleum Investment and Management Services (NAPIMS), Dafe Sajebor and his National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) counterpart, Sadler Mai-Bornu made the pledge when they appeared before a Senate panel investigating the activities of oil and gas agencies in the country.
Both blamed government agencies for the worsening gas flaring in the country, particularly their inability to enforce payment of stipulated penalties on erring IOCs which had in turn led to increased flare but however, promised to work to achieve the 2020 date.
But ERA/FoEN, in the statement signed by the Head, Media and Communication, Philip Jakpor, said the government was setting new deadlines on flare-out and bowing to IOCs pressure “in breach” as a subsisting deadline exists which must be adhered to by companies still flaring in the delta.
According to him, “While we welcome every effort to make the IOCs obey our laws to the letter, the Federal Government is in-avertedly creating an atmosphere that will allow the corporations to continue the obnoxious practice.”
Ojo insisted that while the practice in most parts of the world is to harness associated gas for productive purposes so that very little is flared, the IOCs operating in the Niger Delta have latched on to the un-seriousness of successive administrations in the country to make nonsense of the nation and the people of the Niger Delta that are chiefly impacted.
“The Niger Delta today is dotted with gas flares of varying sizes and intensity that burn 24 hours every day, every day of each month, and every month of each year for several decades. Not only is the nation losing revenue, experts have calculated that some 45.8 billion kilowatts of heat are discharged into the atmosphere of the Niger Delta from flaring over 1.8 billion cubic feet of gas every day”, he said.
The ERA/FoEN boss stressed that the roaring flames very often in close proximity to homes pose both physical and psychological dangers and constitute a violation of the human rights of the people.
“We are not satisfied with this attempt to allow the IOCs continue playing yoyo with the lives of our people. They are very comfortable paying the meagre fines imposed on them. Nigerians are fully aware that the same companies committed to extinguishing all flares by 2008 after breaching the 1979, 1984, 2007 and 2008 deadlines. Unfortunately, government policy statements have varied till date on the flare out issue.”
He remarked: “Gas flaring is a violation of the fundamental right to life and healthy environment of local communities. This much was asserted by retired Justice V. C. Nwokorie in a judgment brought against Shell by the Iwherekan community, Delta State, on the company’s continued flaring in the community. At a Federal High Court sitting in Benin on November 14th 2005, Nwokorie had ordered Shell to stop gas flaring in Iwherekan by April 2007, saying it violates the fundamental right to life and dignity. We stand by that ruling.”
“Our position is that the current administration rolled out well with initiatives like the $10 million take-off grant for clean-up of Ogoniland. It must not allow itself to be led by the nose by the IOCs. The deadline on gas flaring must be enforced immediately. Extending the flare-out date is an extension of illegality. We do not support this,” Ojo insisted.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Rivers3 days ago
Don Sues For Leadership Assessment Centre In IAUE
-
Niger Delta3 days ago
Oborevwori Boosts Digitalisation With Ulesson 500 Tablets To Pupils, Students
-
Business3 days ago
Cassava Flour Initiative Revival Can Up Economy By ?255b – COMAFAS
-
Sports3 days ago
Eagles B Players Admit Pressure For CHAN Qualification
-
Niger Delta3 days ago
Don Highlights On The Potential Of Groundwater As Hidden Wealth For Sustainable Future
-
Rivers3 days ago
Group Seeks Prosecution Of Clergy, Others Over Attempted Murder
-
Opinion3 days ago
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
-
Business3 days ago
CRG Partner JR Farms To Plant 30m Coffee Seedlings