A Niger Delta rights activist, Austin Ozobo, has said the Federal Government of Nigeria is only interested in collecting fines from multinational oil companies and not in stopping gas flaring in the region.
Ozobo made the assertion during an interview session at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Warri Correspondents’ Chapel.
“Government is only interested in fines they’re getting instead of stopping the gas flaring.”
He said they take the fines more seriously than the lives of the people who are affected by gas flaring.
Ozobo also said the companies are happy paying fines and continuing to flare gas.
While pointing out that gas is an essential commodity, Comrade Ozobo said countries that produce oil don’t play with gas.
He stressed, “You make more money in gas than even the oil. It’s most expensive. It’s more valuable than the crude oil you’re talking about.”
According to Comrade Ozobo, “I see no reason why Nigeria prefers burning or throwing away gas for oil.”
Ozobo also stated that the government goes cap in hand seeking loans from organizations like the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and other foreign organizations to fund the economy while it abandons what could earn the nation much money.
He opined that gas can be harnessed to give the nation much more revenue than crude oil itself.
Ozobo also called on the Federal Government to look inwards and totally stop gas flaring, which has polluted the environment, affected the health of citizens, and endangered their lives.
