Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva ,his Environment counterpart Dr. Muhammed Abubakar and Speaker and members of the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Gas Resources, Environment and Climate Change have pledged to work collaboratively to end flaring of gases in the country on or before year 2025.
The lawmakers and top government officials made the resolve on Monday at a one day public hearing organised by the House Joint Committee entitled:”Need to End Gas Flaring in Nigeria and Harness Associated Gas” held at the hall 0.28 House of Representatives, National Assembly.
The Speaker who declared the hearing open regretted that the Nigeria nation had not managed the environmental challenges resulting from the flaring of gases adding that it had lost the opportunity of full utilization of its benefits.
Represented by Hon. Luke Onofiiok, he lamented that the nation has not made effective utilization of its gas resources and assured that the 9th House ‘ll do everything to change the narrative.
He further stated that they would convoke stakeholders engagement to resolve all the disagreements and other issues that are affecting the utilization of gas resources in the country.
Similarly, Chairman of the Joint Committee Hon.Mutu Nicholas Ebomo said that the Committee is set to address the issue of gas flaring and put an end to the menace in Nigeria.
He noted that Nigeria loses $750 million annually in revenue and assured that they ‘ll work with other stakeholders to put an end to this unjustifiable perrennial problem of gas flaring.
On his own part, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva said that the Ministry is committed to the elimination of gas flaring in the country in 2025.
He further that the federal government is committed to ensure that gas flaring is completely eliminated in the country and the public hearing is crucial in helping to update its records.
Moreover, Minister of Environment Dr. Muhammad Abubakar who as represented by a Director by Mr. Abbas Suleiman also said that gas flaring is a national as well as global environmental challenge.
He pointed out that gas flaring is the major cause of global warming and called for proper processing of gas resources by oil producing companies.
They all agreed to work collaboratively to end the challenge posed to the environment by oil companies that engage in gas flaring and called for concerted effort by all the stakeholders to end the menace.
