The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday promised an end this year to gas flaring in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Maikanti Baru, who had last year made the pledge, said the corporation would commercialise existing gas flare projects for the benefits of the host communities and country at large.

Receiving the leadership of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM) led by its national chairman, High Chief Benjamin Style Tamaranebi, in Abuja, Baru stated that no new gas projects would be approved without zero gas flare modalities.

A statement by the General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation, Ndu Ughamadu, said the GMD insisted that the growing attacks on pipelines and crude theft must be jointly addressed.

He commended the body for restoring sanity to the area, noting that the relative peace had resulted in improved production and growth of the national economy.

Baru said: “I want to thank the Oba of Benin for midwifing HOSTCOM and the Traditional rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMCON). For us as operators, we will continue to dialogue with the bodies so as to create an enabling environment for business and the communities.”

He urged HOSTCOM to partner with the agency in stemming pipeline vandalism, illegal refineries and oil bunkering to reduce the incidence of environmental pollution in the area.

The NNPC helmsman said the Ogoni cleanup had commenced in earnest with the release of the first tranche of funds for the project last year.

Baru reiterated the commitment of oil and gas operators to the global memoranda of understanding (GMOUs) entered into with the communities, urging that the documents should be misinterpreted as replacement for government interventions in the localities.

Leader of the delegation, Tamaranebi, commended government for the cleanup exercise in the Rivers community.