Shell’s Gas Flare At Gbarantoru Sparks More Condemnation

By Obiabin Onukwugha

The decision by Shell Nigeria to reignite fire and flare gas at its facility in Gbarantoru Community, Bayelsa State has continued to attract condemnation from community residents and environmental bodies.

The latest is coming as the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), condemned the act, calling for immediate halt to gas flare in the Niger Delta region.

The people of Gbarantoru Community, have continued to express shock over the sudden onset of the massive gas furnace lit by Shell close to homes in the community without prior notice and consent.

Reacting to the development, HOMEF described Shell’s action as yet another testament to the impunity with which the oil multinationals operate in the Niger Delta.

Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, in a statement called for an end to gas flaring citing its socio-ecological, health, climate, and economic impacts on the people of the Niger Delta.

“Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) considers the fact that oil companies responsible for gas flaring have often perpetrated such a dangerously polluting act close to homes in communities, with or without any form of permission.

“Community members lament the pain of being left in the lurch without any consultation or help.

“We consider the activity of Shell as contravening the fundamental right to life and dignity of the people of Gbarantoru and their neighbours, as specified under sections 33 and 34 of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as affirmed by a High Court ruling in November 2005 in the case of Jonah Gbemre against Shell.

“The flaring of gas is pervasive in the Niger Delta and is a harmful and wasteful practice. Aside from being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change, the impacts of gas flares on the health of community people, their ecosystems, biodiversity, aquatic resources, agricultural production, livelihood sources, as well as the larger Nigerian economy are deleterious,” the statement read in part.

HOMEF observed that calculations made, using World Bank figures, showed that from 2013 to 2019, about 319.48 standard cubic feet of gas were flared into Nigeria’s environment amounting to a waste of $1,080,390,000 without a cost put to the amount of pollution caused.

The environmental body also noted that PwC figures have shown that between 2020 and the first two months of 2024, 595.1million standard cubic feet of gas have been flared in nine Nigerian states amounting to another waste of $1.9 billion and more damage to the environment.

“Niger Delta people have had to deal with over 65 years of environmental pollution and degradation by oil multinationals.

“We believe that it is high time that stringent measures are taken to put an end to gas flaring in Nigeria and to chart a path towards a just and equitable energy transition. Communities in the Niger Delta have continually raised alarm over this illicit activity of the oil and gas sector,” HOMEF stated.