15 October 2015, Abuja – The Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), Mr. Babs Omotowa, has said that despite the best efforts, the problem of gas flaring in beyond what they can handle alone.
Omotowa stated this on Wednesday when the management of NLNG paid a courtesy to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, at the Naval Headquarters (NHQ), Abuja.
He however disclosed that their efforts have reduced gas flaring significantly down from 65 per cent to 20 per cent.
“We don’t produce gas, we buy gas ourselves by the coming in of Nigeria LNG we have been able to help to bring down gas flaring significantly. Before we came in we were flaring about 65 percent, since we have come in and the efforts we have been able to put together we have brought it down about 20 percent level.
“But the effort of gas flaring is beyond Nigeria NLG and that sort of issue will be taken upon by the authorities,” he said.
The NLNG boss commended “the Nigerian Navy for the support they have been getting in more than our twenty five years of operation”, adding “without the support of the Nigerian navy all the contributions that we make today will truly not be possible”.
He sought partnership in the areas of capacity building and infrastructural upgrade, saying “these are things we are going to look into and we will work with the Nigerian Navy to move this issue forward”.
Omotoya said: “We have over the years been working with the Nigerian Navy and we will continue to look at areas of support and we will be able to take that forward.
“Our visit is to pay courtesy call on the new CNS, and the men of the Nigerian Navy, to thank them and appreciate them for the support that we have been getting over the years, because without the Nigerian Navy all that we have achieved will not be possible. And to assure the navy of our continued cooperation and support as they continue their obligation in our water ways.”
Also speaking, Ibas lamented about poor funding for the Navy, saying that “with poor funding you cannot get what is required to carry on your duties.”
For us, he said, we need capitalisation, of which “we have been shouting about it, as we need to buy more vessels to be able to patrol our maritime environment, and upgrade our infrastructure.”
“We have a forward operating base that has no jetty, of course with that we can’t function properly and so where ever we get assistance to rehabilitate or upgrade our facilities. I am talking about the infrastructural facilities that will enhance our performance.
– This Day