Continuous flaring has contributed to climate change issues by releasing carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide, among others, into the atmosphereArticle | October 2, 2012 – 2:04am | By Yinka Ojo
Chima Williams, the Head of Legal Resources at Environmental Right Action and Friends of the Earth, an NGO, has attributed the incessant flooding in Nigeria partly to gas flaring by oil companies.
Williams said that there was the need for climate experts and government agencies to find lasting solutions to the problems of oil spillage and gas faring in the Niger Delta.
Williams said oil companies operating in the region should be held accountable.
“It is on record that Nigeria flares more gas, associated with oil extraction, than any other countries thereby cooking the skies through gas flaring.
“This continuous flaring has contributed immensely to the climate change issues by releasing carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide, among others, into the atmosphere,” he said.
Williams explained that the climate change had negatively affected many communities, disrupting the environment and the economy through flooding.
“Although government, the international community and the oil companies have agreed to stop gas faring, government lacks the political will to do so,” he said.
According to him, gas flaring endangers human health, harms local ecosystems, and destroys plants and animals, food production and water among others.
“From pronouncements on climate change, coming from government agencies, it is obvious that government cannot plead ignorance of the massive contribution of gas flaring to global warming.
“After years of paying lip service, government must take urgent actions to protect the lives of its citizens and rescue the nation from the menace caused by oil companies.
“It is not enough to set up committees to look at the flooding problems but efforts should be directed at solving the problem of gas flaring holistically,” he said.
Williams said gas flaring had caused untold hardship to host communities, and called on the National Assembly to do more to stop the flaring.
He urged the government to review the nation?s environmental policies, which he said, had become obsolete.
Yinka has taught at various levels of education. He has published a textbook on effective teaching practice and several academic papers in reputable journals. He is currently an education consultant. He loves writing, poetry, music and is presently working on a musical album billed to be released into the market soon.
