Enforce anti-gas flaring regulations in Niger Delta, Nwoko tells FG
Sen. Ned Nwoko has called on the Federal Government to urgently enforce the regulations on gas flaring and venting of natural gas in the Niger Delta region.
Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District in the Senate, made the call on Tuesday during an interview with the newsmen in Abuja.
He said it was imperative to enforce the regulations, particularly as they affect Ndokwa land, in line with the provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
The PIA, among other provisions, demands strict adherence to gas flaring and utilisation plans.
He said that in the petroleum industry, gas flaring represents the loss of raw natural gas when associated gas is extracted.
He explained that the loss may result from inadequate gas extraction, processing, and transportation infrastructure.
According to him, some oil and gas companies prefer to flare gas as it prevents the over-pressuring of their industrial plant equipment.
He further explained that gas flaring, a common practice in the oil and gas industry, is associated with wasted energy and causes lots of environmental concerns.
He said it was a harmful practice that negatively impacts the host communities and is a huge source of economic loss to the country.
He said the country’s poor supervision of companies in the oil and gas sector, the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, had turned it into a mixed bag of fortune for the citizens.
He said this was especially for the suffering experienced by host communities in Ndokwa East and West Local Government Areas, Ukwuani, and some parts of Effurun, all in Delta.
According to him, these communities are subjected to untold hardship and unabated health hazards caused by worsening gas flaring.
“Today, this harmful practice has resulted in the deaths of no fewer than 23 people in the last six months, with many hospitalised due to excessive emissions of carbon dioxide in their communities."
He, therefore, stressed the urgent need to stop gas flaring and enforce the anti-gas flaring regulations on the land.
Nwoko also sponsored a motion on “Urgent Need to Stop Gas Flaring and Enforce Anti-Gas Flaring Regulations in Ndokwa Land and the Niger Delta Region” in the Senate.
He called for an increased penalty for gas flaring as a deterrent to further breaches.
He also said that oil companies operating in Ndokwa Land and the entire Niger Delta region should be directed to immediately switch to OP16 gas turbines.
The turbine uses advanced combustion technology to significantly reduce emissions, ensuring a greener, more sustainable flaring solution and effective resource management.
"Also, the Federal Government should ensure that the estimated 2 million dollars per day lost to gas flaring be converted and commercialised to fund the national budget conveniently without resorting to borrowing.
“They should also be made to pay the sum of N100 billion naira only as compensation to the victims of gas flaring in Ndokwa Land and the entire Niger Delta region.
“They should also ensure that the devastated environment is restored without further delay’’, the Nwoko said.
He further called on the Senate Committee (upstream and downstream) to liaise with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited and other relevant agencies to ensure immediate and total compliance with the zero flaring routine.
