Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has expressed saddness that the Petroleum Industry Act is inconsiderate about the negative impact of gas flaring on the health, lives and livelihoods of host communities in the Niger Delta.
Executive Director, HOMEF, Rev Nnimmo Bassey, explained that the Act stipulates that penalties collected from operators would be channelled to midstream gas infrastructure, instead of to the people who are suffering the harmful effects of the pollution.
Bassey regretted that the Act considers gas flaring a waste of economic resources which should be paid for, and not an health abuse on the lives of people living in the communities where gas is flared.
The Environmentalist lamented that since 1970s, deadlines to end gas flaring are shifted as the targets approach, regretting that the last flare out date was 2020 which was again shifted to 2025 and now in favor of a 2030 deadline.
“The Act states that ‘moneys received from gas flaring penalties by the Commission pursuant to this subsection shall be transferred to the Midstream Gas Infrastructure fund for investment in Midstream Gas Infrastructure within the Host Communities of the Settlor on which the penalties are levied’.
“It proposes the utilization of gas flare fines in more income yielding investments without any special consideration for the communities who suffer the impact of gas flaring let alone remediating such impacts.
“Evidently, the Act considers gas flaring a waste of economic resources which should be paid for, and not an abuse which is impacting the climate, the health and livelihoods of communities.
“The PIA does not place any definite flare-out date, presenting the impression that the practice will continue indefinitely to the detriment of host communities who continue to suffer the dangerous consequences.
“The Act does not appear to consider Nigeria’s climate change pledges as contained in the nation’s Nationally Determined Contributions.”
HOMEF maintained that to end gas flaring, offenders should be made to pay the full economic cost of the flared gas based on the prevalent market price of gas, as well as the related health and environmental costs.
He regretted that all the suggestions and recommendations the group made to the National Assembly targeted at ending gas flaring were jettisoned by the lawmakers while passing the Bill.
“In our memo to the National Assembly, we had recommended the introduction of a clause which affirms the outlawing of gas flaring and requires that offenders pay the full economic cost of the flared gas based on the prevalent international market price of gas, as well as the related health and environmental costs.
“We had also suggested that gas flare fines be invested in the host communities funds and an Environmental Remediation Fund.”
