Group Seeks Passage Of Gas Flaring Bill

To save Nigerians from the problems posed by gas flaring, the National Assembly has been called upon to put aside any premordial consideration and pass the bill to end gas flaring in the country.

Social Action’s head of communication, Vivian Bellonwu in a statement in Port Harcourt recently faulted the failure of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to regulate International Oil Companies (IOG), saying that the Limitation of government agencies was a reflection of lack of political will on the part of government to end gas flaring in the country.

Bellonwu noted that “flaring of gas emits large quantity of carbon oxide, Nitrogen, sulphur and other harmful elements forming a combination of environmental pollutant which endangers human health and reduces agricultural productivity thus increasing poverty as well as destroys metallic and non-metattic structures.

She added that the country loses billions of naira to wasted gas even as the nation’s power projects are crippled as a result  of short gas supply.

The group’s communication boss disclosed that her organisation has made several representations to the National Assembly on the blatant lies and deceit by 10cs in respect of figures they declare concerning gas production, utilisation and flaring.

According to her, an independent study done by the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) revealed that up to 90 per cent, of associated gas is being flared in Nigeria despite claims by DPR, NNPC and the 10cs that flaring is below 50 per cent production.

“Contrary to the several claims by the DPR and the 10cs that they have reduced the volume of gas they are flaring in the country, these companies have done nothing but rather increasing it,” Bellonwu pointed out.

It will be recalled that the DPR on interrogation by the senate committee on Gas admitted that it cannot state specifically the quantity of gas produced by the nation and added that 10cs have frustrated all efforts by the DPR to install gas monitoring /measuring equipment in their facilities.

Vivian-Peace Nwmaene