The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, says the Federal Government will soon launch a programme that will end gas flaring in the Niger Delta.
He said this on Friday during the inauguration of a water project in Gelegele-Gbene community near Benin in Ovia North East Local Government area of Edo.
Boroh said the programme, tagged “National Gas Flaring Commercialisation Programme”, would generate about 36, 000 direct jobs and 200, 000 indirect jobs in the Niger Delta.
He said that the gas would be harnessed for cooking, electricity and other industrial uses, adding that government had identified 48 sites for the first phase of the programme.
Boroh, who did not give effective date for the commencement of the programme, said the programme had been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“I want you all to know that the government is quite disturbed about the health and environmental impact of gas flaring and is working hard to put an end to this very soon.
“Through this programme also, six million households would have access to clean and renewable energy,” he said.
He however, said the programme would be private sector driven.
Boroh said that the President remained committed to the development of the region, stressing that there were other areas which the government intended to partner with the people of the region.