Worried by the perennial negative impact of gas flares on their health, environment and economy, women from the oil producing communities of Ibeno and Esit Eket in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday, signed a declaration for the international oil companies to stop gas flares in their communities.
During a Town Hall meeting tagged “Strategies to End Gas Flaring in Akwa Ibom,” organized by Policy Alert in collaboration with Global Green Grant funds and attended by government officials and stakeholders, the women took a stand against gas flaring by signing a declaration calling on International Oil Companies (IOCs) to cease this practice in their communities.
Represented by prominent leaders such as Lady Apostle Cecilia John Ikot, Essien Kokomma Eshiet, and Rhoda Peter, the women described gas flaring as a serious threat to their livelihoods.
They noted that it releases harmful gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the environment, exacerbating climate change impacts in their immediate communities.
The adverse effects of gas flaring, as noted by the women, included air pollution, water contamination, reduced agricultural productivity, and severe impacts on sexual and reproductive health, including cases of impotency, infertility, and birth complications in their communities.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the Nigerian government’s inability to meet previous gas flare-out targets, despite currently striving towards a 2030 deadline as a signatory to the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership, the women called for a review of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
They sought to reinforce the environmental regulation roles of relevant agencies like the National Oil Spill Detection and Regulatory Agency (NOSDRA) and the Federal Ministry of Environment, whose roles were diminished by the Act. The women called for investment in a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
The Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Uno Etim, represented by the Director of Mineral Resources, Mrs. Emem Imo Ibokette, acknowledged the severity of gas flaring in Ibeno and encouraged community unity in their campaign against this issue. She assured the women of the State Ministry’s willingness to collaborate and offer necessary support to address their concerns.
On his part, the Executive Director of Policy Alert, Mr. Tijah-Bolton Akpan, expressed regret that the issue of “end to gas flaring” is still a topic of discussion in 2023.
He described gas flaring as illegal and an unnecessary waste of valuable economic resources. Mr. Akpan revealed the “Wethinwomengain” project initiated by Policy Alert, aimed at empowering women across oil and gas communities to advocate against gas flaring.
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