Federal Government To Use Stoppage Of Gas Flaring To Create 26,000 Jobs

By Lucky Isibor

The Federal Government has vowed to stop gas flaring in oil producing communities in Nigeria and in the process create 26,000 direct jobs and another 300,000 indirect jobs in the Niger Delta from Bakassi in Cross River State to Arogbo-Ijaw in Ondo state.

The position of the federal government was made known Thursday, by the Special Adviser to President Mohammadu Buhari on Niger Delta and coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, Brig, Gen. Paul Boroh while commissioning a water project executed by the Presidential Amnesty office at Gele-Gele, an oil bearing community in Ovia North- East local government area of Edo state.

The presidential adviser assured that the gas being flared will be harnessed for cooking, electricity generation and other industrial purposes.

Boroh said the federal government’s desire to stop gas flaring is also in compliance with the United Nation’s Paris agreement pointing out that the feasibility study of the program has been approved by the Federal Executive Council.

Said he, “The federal government has come up with a gas commercialisation program. The feasibility study has been submitted and approval given by the Federal Executive Council. It is also in line with the United Nations Paris agreement to end gas flare.

“This program is projected to create 26,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect jobs in the Niger- Delta.

“Through this gas flaring again, six million households in Niger-Delta will have access to clean energy. The program will be private sector driven,” Gen. Boro said.

The presidential adviser also disclosed plans of the federal government to involve oil producing communities in the protection of pipelines and empower host communities in the planed modular refineries.

He added that the federal government has directed the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR to work out the details of the establishment of modular refineries which he said will be released soon urging all oil bearing communities to key into the laudable initiative.

While enumerating the achievements of the federal government in the amnesty program which he said has entered the third phase of reintegration, Boroh said the presidential amnesty program is being restructured towards an all inclusive human capacity development program assuring that Gele-Gele community will also benefit from the restructuring.

He disclosed that the amnesty program has trained pilots, medical doctors, lawyers, air traffic support operators, agricultural scientists, tourism and hospitality operators, artisans and fashion designers.

“The presidential amnesty program has trained internationally certified pilots and are flying our aircraft in Nigeria here, some are scheduled to fly aircraft internationally”, he said.

Earlier in an address by Chief Ogunkoru Robinson on behalf of Gele-Gele community, appealed to the presidential adviser on Niger-Delta to assist the community to attract federal government presence as according to him they have not been fairly treated in the scheme of things.

The community presented their demands apart from the stoppage of gas flaring to include the establishment of amnesty office in Ijaw area of Edo state among other demands.

“We humbly appeal to you to recognize and utilize the INC and community leadership structure to enable us Ijaw people of Edo state feel the impact of amnesty program in Edo state.

“The establishment of amnesty office in Ijaw area of Edo state.

“Third phase beneficiaries of the amnesty program in Edo state who have not been captured for training and educational program (scholarship) be given attention.

“Creation of more slots for the teaming unemployed youth and those who desire to further their education. Provision of skill acquisition center in five Ijaw clan.

“Provision for pipeline surveillance slot for INC Edo state. Inclusion of other genuine agitators who were not captured in your program, proper direction and coordination of program and policies for the existing ex- agitators”.