A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), environmental rights activists and some critical stakeholders on Friday called for immediate end to gas flaring in Niger Delta in view of the attendant health hazards .
The group re-echoed the call at a one-day electoral dialogue on gas flare penalties, green house emissions and Nigeria’s National Determined Contribution Commitment held in Benin City, Edo state.
The dialogue also focused on the need for “The Accountability for Gas flared and Clean Energy Advocacy, (AGFACEA), project.
Setting the tone for the deliberations, the executive director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Barr. China Williams, said it was time to end to what he described as “resource curse syndrome.
He said, “The first ever case filed in any Nigerian court to demand an end to gas flaring was at the Federal High Court here in Benin City, in the case of Jonah Gbemre V. She’ll with favourable judgement ordering an end to the practice made by the court in November 14th, 2005 exactly 10 years, four days after the murder of late Ken Saro Wiwa.
“That judgement though still on Appeal, has formed the bedrock for the campaign to end gas flaring in Nigeria and has led to lots of policy and legislative works towards ending outrightly gas flaring or making it a national income earners for Nigeria.
The Goldman Environmental Prize (Green Novel Prize), winner also commended the position of the Oba of Benin on the agitation to end flaring of gas.
“We therefore urge our participants to review the issues of gas flaring, her negative environmental footprints , health impact consequences and economic losses as well as any advantaged or potential opportunities in appropriate harnessing of the flared gas”.
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