GAS FLARING: Oil companies are more comfortable paying fines -Gov Okowa

Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has said that oil companies appear more comfortable paying fines for gas flaring than taking steps to end it.

The governor, who called on the Federal Government to put stringent measures in place to end gas flaring in the country, stated this in Asaba when Course 41 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, paid him a visit in his office.

According to Okowa, stopping gas flaring in Nigeria would not only curb environmental hazards, but create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and women.

“If you go to where gas is flared, which is still very common, you will understand why we need to be more serious about taking decisions to stop the flaring.

“Stopping gas flaring will be so much better for our people because the flared gas has already destroyed the environment, not just the natural habitat in terms of farming.

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“It has also polluted very badly the air that we breathe.

“Only God knows the level of damage that it has caused and we believe that the laws must be implemented in such a manner that gas flaring is not just tied up to fines.

“This is because, as long as gas flaring is tied to fines, the oil companies begin to realise that it may be cheaper or easier to pay the fines than to stop the flaring of gas.

“Then, we obviously are not discouraging them,’’ the governor said.

Continuing, the governor said though certain actions has been taken to address the menace in the past, the law must be applied to ensure that gas flaring is not tied to payment of fines.

According to him, Okowa some of the oil companies displayed a nonchalant attitude to the effect of gas exploration activities on the environment.

“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 ensure that we do what is right and stop tying the issue of gas flaring to fines.

“This is because continually tying gas flaring to fines is injurious to our people and our environment,’’ he said.

The governor decried the negative impacts of the oil economy on the environment, saying that in the course of exploration, the environment had been greatly damaged.

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