Nigeria’s federal government will soon introduce a programme to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta region, Paul Boroh, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs said Friday.
Boroh disclosed this during the inauguration of a water project in Gelegele-Gbene community near Benin in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo.
He said the programme, tagged “National Gas Flaring Commercialisation Programme”, would generate about 36, 000 direct jobs and 200, 000 indirect jobs in the Niger Delta, as 48 sites across the Niger Delta region have been identified in the first phase where the gas would be harnessed for cooking, electricity and other industrial use.
Boroh who is also the National Co-ordinator of the Amnesty programme said the programme would be private sector driven.
He noted that six million households would have access to clean and renewable energy in the Niger Delta when the programme is implemented.
Boroh assured the people that President Buhari was committed to the development of the Niger Delta region by ensuring implementation of programmes that would uplift the people.
He noted that part of the plans to end attacks on oil pipelines was to ensure that pipelines monitoring and protection are community driven.
In his words, “I want you all to know that the government is quite disturbed about the health and environmental impact of gas flaring and is working hard to put an end to this very soon.
“Through this programme also, 6 million house hold would have access to a clean and renewable energy.
“For the pipeline security scheme, it is going to be community driven. The community People where we have these oil installations and facilities are expected to drive this process.
The modalities for this is still being worked out.
“For the modular refinery which is also going to be private driven, it is being initiated in order to put an end to the menace of the illegal refinery. The blue print on this will be out soon,” he stated.
Zonal President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Robinson Ogunkoru, called for the establishment of amnesty office in Edo State, appealing for pipeline surveillance slot for INC in Edo as well as the provision of skill acquisition center in five clans of Edo.
