A bill for an Act to prohibit gas flaring, encourage gas utilisation and provide for penalties and remedies for gas flaring violations and related matters has scaled the second reading in the House of Representatives.
In his lead debate, the sponsor of the bill, Benson Babajimi of the All Progressives Congress said the bill represented a decisive legislative intervention aimed at addressing the ‘long standing and damaging’ practice of gas flaring in the country.
According to him, it was firmly rooted in Nigeria’s constitutional obligation to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
The lawmaker said the bill sought to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, while encouraging the utilisation of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation.
“Gas flaring has plagued Nigeria for decades, leading to severe environmental degradation, public health crises and economic losses.
“Environmentally, it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and acid rain, exacerbating climate challenges.
“Public health impacts are equally dire, as pollutants from gas flaring cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly among residents of communities close to flaring sites.
“Economically, flaring results in the waste of a valuable resource that could otherwise be harnessed for energy generation or exported to generate revenue,” he said.
“Furthermore, the bill aims to mitigate the environmental, health and economic impacts of gas flaring, aligning Nigeria’s oil and gas operations with international climate change commitments.
“Offenders who violate these provisions face stringent penalties, including fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and potential suspension of operations for repeat violations”, he said.
Babajimi said operators were required to submit and implement gas utilisation plans, detailing how gas that would otherwise be flared would be captured, processed or commercialised.
