Only FG’s Political Will Can Stop Gas Flaring – Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi says the success of curbing climate change in the country would depend hugely on the political will by the Federal Government to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta.

Delivering a keynote address at the second edition of the States Climate Change Dialogue(SCID) organised by the Delta State Government in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Asaba, on Tuesday, the Rivers State Governor lamented that the problem has not only compounded environmental problems in the Niger Delta but has equally affected the source of livelihood of the people.

He described climate change, “as the change in the usual pattern of weather system in a particular area for a period of time’’,  stressing that such changes can either be man-made or natural.

Amaechi warned that the effects of global warming would be severe in the oil-rich region, especially in Rivers State which he said is vulnerable to increasing sea level and heightened rainfall as predicted by meteorologists earlier in the year

According to Amaechi, “for every barrel of oil about 1000 cubic feet of gas is produced” as he identified coal, oil and gas as the highest source of pollution in the country

Despite being signatories to many international environmental treaties, Amaechi opined that the authorities and the oil firms have continued to flout environment conservation laws, citing gas flaring as an example, and advocated for resource control since that would improve the environment management and quality of life of oil bearing communities.

On ways to reverse the trend, the Governor declared,” if you want Nigerians to embrace climate change then put some funding into it.” He stressed that efforts must also be made to provide the necessities of life to the citizenry, in order to curb the oil theft now common in the Niger Delta.

Speaking earlier, Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan said the forum provides a platform to articulate a common front to tackle the issue of climate change in the country.

Dr Uduaghan remarked that, “ climate change issues have no boundary, there is no boundary between Delta and Bayelsa States and until we all come together in dealing with the problem, there will be no change”.

He appealed to the citizenry and corporate bodies to join in the fight to evolve measures to fight the menace.

Also, deputy Country Director of UNDP, Thomas Enstrau stated that climate change has short and long term effects, and tasked stakeholders to ensure all measures were adopted to address the issue.