Nigeria’s Flames of Natural Gas

Apropos Dayo’s commentary on Nigeria’s electricity woes, it doesn’t seem like a good idea for the country to be sending natural gas up in flames.

The latest deadline set by the Nigerian government to stop flaring natural gas from oil wells in the Niger Delta has passed without stopping the flames, which campaigners say are poisoning local people.

“Sometimes you can’t tell whether it’s the dawn breaking or the flame,” says activist Vivian Bellonwu, the frustration clear in her voice, after seeing nothing change despite the 1 January target.

“It’s a history of shifting goal posts, missing deadline after deadline”.

Everyone agrees gas flaring wastes billions of dollars in useful gas.

Campaigners say it causes huge environmental damage and according to doctors, it is responsible for causing chronic health problems among people who live in the Delta.

This seems like one of those priorities that you shouldn’t exactly keep letting deadlines pass.