The Centre for Human Rights, Health, Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development, says the quantity of gas being flared in the country yearly, if converted to money, can conveniently fund the budgets of at least 16 states for four years.
*Gas flaring in the Niger Delta
Executive Director of CHHELD, Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson, called an end to gas flaring in the country, demanding that flared gas should be channeled into beneficial ventures.
Dandyson spoke while appearing on a live radio programme, Just Energy Transition, organized by the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, in partnership with Spaces for Change with support from Africa Centre for Energy Policy.
Speaking on artisanal refinery economy and Just Energy Transition in Rivers State, wondered shy successive Nigerian government prefers to flare gas than channel it to the betterment of the citizens.
“The gas that is flared yearly in Nigeria, if it can be converted and sold, can fund at least 16 states budget for four years. What needs to be done is to stop the flaring and re-channel the gas.
“The way gas is being flared in Nigeria; in other countries it is not like that. They channel it into other profitable uses. It is only in Nigeria that we carry gas cylinders to gas stations. In developed countries, the gas flows in your house, if you don’t pay your bill, they cut you off.
“Why can’t this be replicated in Nigeria when we are the 5th largest producers of gas?”
The group also proffered solutions for the country to easily transit from fossil fuels to a cleaner energy, advocated for gas turbines, hydro-dams wind, and solar energy as alternatives.
“The government should go to the Northern part of the country which is closer to the desert and build windmills that can power some states; the areas where there is gas, build gas turbines to power the states, even where there are turbines build more.
“The state’s where there is water like the Niger Delta region and the Southwest and some Northern States, build dams to power those areas.
“Then areas where they don’t have any of the above-mentioned use solar energy to power the states. This will reduce the use of generators and other engines that use fossil fuels.
“When this is established, the government should decentralise the power generation or privatize it to avoid issues of mismanagement.”
Nigeria Flared Gas Can Fund 16 States’ Budgets
