Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, says recent suspension of the exportation of cooking gas by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) will bring relief to forests and the ecosystems.
She welcomed the 100 per cent domestic supply of the product, describing it as a courageous decision.
Ikeazor further noted that such a bold initiative will bring down the price of the commodity.
“The 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”, she stated.
Ikeazor 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.
According to her, “ the unhealthy development has been so severe on the forest ecosystem that the reserves and even trees outside the forests were not spared”.
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.
“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”, she stressed.
