Gas being flared in the Niger Delta.

Barkindo seeks extension to gas flaring deadline

By Ini Ekott

Gas flaring activities in Nigeria may continue beyond 2010, if the statement of the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mohammed Barkindo, is anything to go by.

Mr. Barkindo, who was one of several speakers at a national roundtable on climate change in Abuja, last week, said while the government’s desire is to end flaring - an essential contributor of carbon which is the main cause of the climate change - the global protocol on the change demands that efforts be made in ways that would protect the environment as well as the socio-economic life of the countries involved.

“We have opted for the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism not only to enhance our mitigating efforts as a developing country but also to do it in a win-win manner,” he said.

He also said that the National Assembly should reconsider its bill that seeks to prohibit gas flaring beyond 2010 as, according to him, “any act or law introduced to stop gas flaring will erode the additionality criterion of getting any project registered with the CDM executive board.”

Mr. Barkindo said no investor would like to stop gas flaring, except through the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism.

“As a country, we stand to achieve environmental benefits in terms of cleaner environment and sustainable development in terms of macroeconomic advantages,” he said.

Moving deadlines

At the daily rate of 2.5 billion cubic feet, Nigeria flares an estimated 23 billion cubic metres yearly and is the second largest gas flaring country in the world, according to the World Bank.

This, according to the bank, translates to over $2.5 billion annual losses, minus the health and environmental impacts caused by uncontrolled gas burning.

The government has fixed several dates, starting from the 1960s, to end the flares and find ways to collect the emitted gases for more useful purposes. But this has always been allowed to pass.

After failing to keep the latest December 31, 2008 date, the National Assembly launched a process to make a law that will eventually end gas flaring at the end of December,2010.

The laws are expected to enshrine heavier penalty for defaulters.

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Reader Comments (4)

Posted by Frank on Sep 01 2009

This man should be sacked for making such an insensitive comment! Gas flares are destroying the lives and people in the Niger Delta on a daily basis, and here an incompetent NNPC GMD (thanks to quota system) is talking about Clean Development Mechanism. CDM my foot. I suggest that Barkinado's family should relocate from Maitama, Abuja and set up their abode beside an NNPC/Shell joint venture gas flare.

Posted by Pedi on Sep 02 2009

lets not look to far in search of answers to the problem of gas flaring in Nigeria. jus think about the fact that the government has a majority interest in the oil industry joint venture agreements. so tell me, who is responsible for gas flaring? its a pity that as a nation we still focus on short term economic gains in formulating development policies at a time when the world focus is on sustainability. in pursuit of short term economic gains we have lost sight of the need for a balanced development as a people. true that oil has raised empires within our communities, but it has also destroyed the hope for a better life for generations even unborn (its now the national cake that we all want a slice off even though it is poisoned). we need to redefine our values as a nation, and place the oil sector in proper perspective as a means to an end, that end being government's responsibility to meet the developmental and environmental needs of all the people. if the counter effects of the chosen oil path (in the form of environmental degradation, conflict, health hazards, and political instability) outweigh the benefits as we are seeing in the Niger Delta region, i'ld say its time to explore other options like agriculture, tourism, mining, etc, and always in furtherance of the objective of achieving sustainable development.

Posted by Eshili Mrs. on Sep 09 2009

Can someone tell Barkindo to keep shut. I have always wished that, God should move this so call oil to the north. We need rest Barkindo. You are heartless and an arc-enemy of the Niger Deltans. You are a waste to Nigeria especially yourself. Shame to you. You will not succeed in your evil plans.

Posted by Tunji Adeyemi on Sep 09 2009

No reason to extend the deadline again is justifiable