The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministries of Power and Petroleum Resources to compel oil and gas producing companies engaged in flaring of gas to convert flared gas to electricity for the benefit of the host communities.
The call was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Jonathan Ukodhiko (PDP-Delta), at plenary on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Moving the motion earlier, Ukodhko said that Nigeria is a major gas producer with a large chunk being flared as waste.
He said that the flared gas is a major and cheap source of electricity, capable of taking care of the power needs of the host communities.
According to him, this can stimulate the economic growth of the country through small- and medium-scale businesses.
The lawmaker said that the volume of gas being flared has devastating effects on the lives and property of the host communities, ranging from various ailments associated with the smoke-polluted environment to corrosion that destroys roofing sheets and poor agricultural output as a result of intense heat on the environment.
He said that in spite of the huge contributions to the oil and gas to the wealth of the nation with attendant environmental and health hazards, Isoko Federal Constituency and other host constituencies have been in a total blackout.
According to him, this is in spite of the fact that the electricity can be easily tapped from the wasted gas resources.
“The staff of these International Oil Companies and other oil and production companies working in Isoko land live in extravagant comfort with 24-hour electricity generated internally for operational bases and residential areas.
“Whereas, the host communities and their environs live in squalor, watching helplessly the opulent lifestyle of the companies with their only offence being host communities.
“We are concerned that the deliberate refusal by the oil and gas companies and the successive administrations to permanently tackle the infrastructural deficit like electricity that could have been easily generated from the wasted gases have over the years made Isoko land as well as other communities in the Niger Delta region, a hotbed for protest and agitations that have sometimes crippled the economy and loss of precious human lives.
“We believe that with the environmental hazards of gas flaring resulting to the humongous revenue loss, there is an urgent need to compel the oil and gas companies to activate their corporate social responsibilities.
“They should provide electricity to the communities in Isoko land from the flared gas through gas turbines by taking advantage of the recent Electricity Act of 2023,” he said.
In his ruling, the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance when constituted to ensure implementation.
By EricJames Ochigbo
