Save Our Lives By Stopping Gas Flaring ln Niger Delta, Mulade Tells President Buhari

Save Our Lives By Stopping Gas Flaring ln Niger Delta, Mulade Tells President Buhari

Warri_____ The National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Comrade (Chief) Sheriff Mulade recently in Warri, Delta state, has warned on the likely severe consequences of continued gas flaring in the Niger Delta region, demanding that the time has come for the Federal Government to do something to stop the unhealthy environment practice.

Recall that despite the pledge over the years by the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop the flaring of gas in the Niger Delta region, the unsafe environmental practice is still ongoing by oil operators in the southern part of the country. This is even more worrisome when the Federal Government's 2020 projection deadline to end the unsafe environmental practice has continued to remain elusive.

Making the call during a visit to bastardized environment around Warri River, Chief Mulade expressed worry and disappointment over the unending practice in the oil producing areas in the region.

According to the CEPEJ National Coordinator, "Gas flaring involves the release of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide (Co2) biochemical smog and their particular matter derivatives such as sulphates and nitrates.

 

"This, contributes immensely to climate change, which has serious ecological impacts on the Niger Delta environment.

 

"Beyond this, it has been scientifically proven that gas flaring causes visibility problems, environmental degradation, harm to public health and gives rise to atmospheric contaminants which acidify and deplete soil nutrients, resulting in low crop yield," he stated.

 

The chieftain from Gbaramatu Kingdom expressed worries that the high level for gas flaring in the Niger Delta has negative economic and environmental consequences because the process of doing it is simultaneously polluting the air, water and soil in the region.

 

"Those living in the region and exposed to the drinking of polluted water or consumption of contaminated food have suffered from unexplainable diseases" warning that "the heavy metals released into the atmosphere are metallic chemical elements which have relatively high density and low concentration of toxic or poisonous substances.

"It is worthy of note that gas flaring has destroyed the ozone layer in the region, therefore government at all levels must do everything humanely possible to save lives," he appealed.