NASS steps up legislative work on Gas Flaring Bill 2017, holds public hearing Tuesday
The National Assembly has started serious work on the passage of the Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Punishment) Bill 2017 as part of moves to return air safety in the nation’s oil region.
A usually confident source at the NASS told our correspondent weekend that “the draft will be presented to the public for review at a public hearing scheduled to hold in the National Assembly on Tuesday”.
The Bill, aimed at enhancing more rapid infrastructural development of the oil and gas sector, boosting revenue to government as well as improving the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region, will among other things, provide incentives for companies with clearly defined flare out projects.
Besides, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas Resources and the sponsor of the Bill, Senator Bassey Albert, (Akwa Ibom North East) said the flaring of natural gas in association with crude oil is one of the most dangerous environmental and energy waste practices in the Nigerian petroleum industry.
According to him, coming on the Tuesday’s public hearing include the international oil companies, national oil companies, independent producers, marginal field operators, LNG companies, government agencies and regulators.
Followers of gas flaring issues in the nation’s oil and gas sector say, attached penalties to gas flaring in Nigeria remains the lowest amongst others in African and has been the main factor encouraging the continued flaring of gas in Nigeria Delta.
They argued further that the best way to end gas flaring is to jerk up the price penalty.
