By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Federal government has commended the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited for suspending the exportation of cooking gas while approving 100 per cent domestic supply of the product.
The Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor made this commendation in a statement released on Monday by the Ministry’s director of press, Saghir el Mohammed.
Ikeazor, said that such a bold initiative was a welcomed development and a step in the right direction that will not only bring down the price of the commodity but also bring relief to our forests and the ecosystems.
The minister recalled that shortly after the increase in the prices of cooking gas in the country, millions of Nigerians could no longer afford the commodity and consequently resorted to firewood and charcoal as alternatives.
While regretting that cutting the forests for fuel wood and charcoal has been a major cause of deforestation and other climate change challenges, the Minister lamented that wood and charcoal smokes contribute to air pollution and other pollutants that produce greenhouse gases.
According to the Minister, “ NLNG should be commended for its sensitivity and responsiveness to the plight of Nigerians.
“For us in the environment sector, this singular decision will not only help in restoring our forests and in addressing some of our climate challenges, but also facilitate the attainment of our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and other aspects of the Paris Agreement.
“We in the environment sector strongly support and believe that by making gas available and affordable, being the cleanest of the fossil fuels, Nigeria is now set towards cutting down on its carbon emissions drastically, thus play a prominent role during the current energy transition period.”
