Okowa urges FG to take stringent measures against gas flaring

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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has urged the Federal Government to put stringent measures in place to curb environmental hazards arising from gas flaring.

The governor made the call on Monday when participants of Course 41 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

Okowa said that gas flaring was very common in the Niger Delta, adding that it was necessary to make laws that would stop the practice.

He said, “Stopping gas flaring will be so much better for our people because the flared gas in itself has already destroyed the environment, not just the natural habitat in terms of farming. It has also polluted the air that we breathe and only God knows the level of damage that it has caused.

“We believe that laws must be implemented in such a manner that gas flaring is not just tied up to fines because, as long as gas flaring is tied up to fines and the oil companies begin to realise that it may be cheaper or easier to pay the fines than to stop the flare of gas, then, we obviously are not discouraging them.

“I am aware that a lot has been done in the last few years but there is a lot more that can be done because the gas that we flare can generate a lot of income for the oil companies if only it can be properly utilised.

“So we must stay on our laws and ensure that we do what is right and stop tying the issue of gas flaring to fines because the continuing tying of gas flaring to fines is injurious to our people and our environment.”

He decried the nonchalant attitude of some oil companies to the effect of gas exploration activities on the environment.

Leader of the delegation, Major General Felix Edafighor, told the governor that the team was in the state for an environmental study tour as part of the fulfilment of their training programme.

He commended the governor for various infrastructural projects in the state.


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