Stakeholders Seek End To Gas Flaring In N’Delta

The Federal Government
and oil multinational operating in the Niger Delta region have been urged to intensify the use of necessary mechanisms to end gas glaring in their operational areas in view of its adverse effects on communities and their sources of livelihood.
This was part of the resolutions taken at a multi-roundtable between communities, regulatory agencies and oil operators held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The roundtable was organized by a non-governmental organization, the Gas Alert for Sustainable Initiative (GASIN), in partnership with NOSDRA, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, in an effort to maintain a sustainable relationship between oil operators, host communities and government regulatory agencies.
A communiqué issued at the end of the roundtable also called on concerned organs of government and oil operators to quickly address the concerns of host communities that have environmental degradation and health challenges arising from oil and gas operation and to also provide adequate social amenities to the host communities to ameliorate the hazards from their operations.
It stressed the need for appropriate feedback mechanisms between the operators and the host communities to be strengthened to check the ugly trend of abandoned and substandard projects, a situation it said had negatively affected the local people.
The 19 points communiqué which was signed by representatives of the stakeholders in attendance, including host communities from both Rivers and Bayelsa states, said there should be sincerity in dealings between oil and gas operators and communities in the execution of projects under the MOU/GMOU as well as prompt renewal of expired ones with full participation of the communities.
Other issues covered by the communiqué included consideration of adequate security for the communities while protecting the equipment and personnel of oil firms, timely review of all relevant environmental effects to reflect global best practice.
Various community representatives had expressed disappointment over the manner in which oil and gas operators and government agencies carry out their operations, alleging that they were not carried along in their operations, consequently, it was resolved that there should be sincerity in sharing of information amongst government regulators, host as well ss the oil and gas operators.
The Tide reports that Akala-Olu, Enito 2 and Oshie in Ahoada West local government area of Rivers State and Koroama, Obunagha and Polaku in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State were the invited communities.
Others stakeholders present were Federal Ministry of Environment, State Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA, NSCDC, vigilante groups and NESREA amongst others.
The major oil and gas operators in the affected areas, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Nigeria Agip Oil company (NAOC) were absent.

Chris Oluoh