FG Sends Message to Foreign Oil Companies After Dangote Exposes Bad Fuel in Filling Stations
- Foreign oil corporations in Nigeria received a warning from the Federal Government to cease defying instructions
- The minister of state for the environment asserts that the government is punishing IOCs in an effort to discourage gas-flaring
- Nigeria has set a deadline and is working hard to accomplish it because the country is committed to ending gas flares
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
On Wednesday, July 24, the Federal Government issued a warning to foreign oil companies doing business in Nigeria to stop disobeying the orders from different regulatory bodies addressing gas flares.
Source: UGC
Often times, while some IOCs frequently followed these instructions, the majority of oil companies did not.
In a new development, The Punch reported that the FG emphasised that this would not be tolerated.
Dr Iziaq Salako, the minister of state for the environment, revealed this in Abuja during the third National Extractive Dialogue 2024, which was hosted by the non-governmental organisation Spaces-4-Change.
He said,
“Following my directive to NOSDRA (National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency) in March this year, while a few international oil companies and other operators are heeding the call of the government for gas flare transparency and accountability, most international oil companies are not responding.
“They expect to be called by NOSDRA, which reflects a disregard for Nigeria’s environmental sustainability agenda.”
Nigeria to end gas flare
He added that Nigeria is dedicated to putting an end to gas flares as it looks toward a target date and is making great efforts to meet it.
The minister claims that in order to deter gas flaring, the government is penalizing IOCs and other regional players in the oil industry.
At the event, Salako warned attendees that the Federal Government would not stand for such disobedience to gas flare orders. He also added that operators had an obligation to set an example and support Nigeria's ambition to put a stop to gas flaring.
“Let me, therefore, use this platform to issue a strong warning from the Federal Ministry of Environment, acting on its mandate to secure a quality environment conducive to good health and well-being of flora and fauna, we no longer tolerate such disregard to the legitimate call of NOSDRA.
“Operators in the Nigerian oil and gas sector have a responsibility to lead from the front, to support the vision of Nigeria to end gas flaring, not just in the interest of the country, but in the overall interest of our planet,” the minister declared.
The Executive Director, Spaces-4-Change, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, called for stakeholder collaboration to achieve the net zero target of Nigeria by 2050.
“The stakes are high, gas flaring has far-reaching social, economic, and environmental impacts, particularly on our host communities that are here today. Gas flaring exacerbates global warming. It leads to economic losses, and this squanders our potential power generation capabilities."
Dangote reveals how filling stations sell bad fuel
Legit.ng the house of representatives has been urged to look into the quality of petrol and diesel at gas stations by the president of the Dangote Group.
Dangote said this on Saturday after meeting with Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, to discuss the House's leadership.
He requested that a committee be established by the House to conduct the study and test products at different gas stations around the nation.
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Source: Legit.ng
