…Gives nod to nuclear energy, generators’ ban

The delegates also agreed while considering report on committee on energy at plenary that government should ban all its agencies from using generating sets in the next two years. The conference said the powers of the minister to grant exemption to gas flaring should be abolished under Nigerian laws. It was also resolved that all […]

The delegates also agreed while considering report on committee on energy at plenary that government should ban all its agencies from using generating sets in the next two years.

The conference said the powers of the minister to grant exemption to gas flaring should be abolished under Nigerian laws. It was also resolved that all new nonassociated gas produced in Nigeria be reserved for the domestic market until such a time that domestic quota is satisfied; and that a pricing regime for gas should be developed to make this possible.

The delegates adopted the committee’s recommendation on a total ban on the flaring of associated gas and that any oil field that does not have infrastructure to capture associated gas should be shut down by the end of 2014. It was agreed that communities in the Niger Delta region be paid adequate compensation for gas flaring that has affected their lives and environment.

Also, proceeds from pollution tax to be collected from oil companies be used to clean up communities that are impacted by oil spill, the conference resolved. Conference demanded immediate initiation of efforts to clean-up oil spill and restore degraded environments in the Niger Delta in line with the recommendations of the United National Environment Programme.

The delegates said government should investigate why the floating petrol stations built in the past have not worked, and take steps to resuscitate them. Government should find immediate means of improving gas supply and transmission to ramp up power delivery to the system as a solution to current cash shortfall in the sector, the delegates said.

Conference said government should implement the National Gas Plan whose main objective is to transmit gas to all the states of the federation for industrial and domestic use and to the Independent Power Projects. However, delegates voted against a declaration of a state of emergency in the power sector in line with the promise made in 2008 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua during a visit to France.