Flaring of gas not only results in significant financial losses, environmental and health risks
The Country Director of ActionAid Ghana, John Nkaw, has disclosed that Ghana is losing approximately US$100 million worth of natural gas each year due to flaring activities in the oil and gas sector.
Speaking in an interview on GhOne TV, as monitored by GhanaWeb Business, Nkaw emphasised that the flaring of gas not only results in significant financial losses but also poses serious environmental and health risks, as it releases greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.
“We have data that shows the government flares about $100 million worth of gas. That is excess gas we are unable to process. We must find a way to contain it. Apart from being a cost to Ghana, it also has hazardous climate change effects,” he stated.
Nkaw criticised the persistent flaring as a waste of valuable resources, which could otherwise be harnessed for power generation, industrial use, or export, thereby generating additional revenue for the country.
His remarks come amid growing concern among civil society groups and energy experts regarding the inefficiencies and environmental damage associated with gas flaring in Ghana’s oil and gas sector.
Despite increased petroleum revenues, highlighted in the recently released 2024 PIAC Report, the continued flaring of gas undermines Ghana’s ability to fully capitalise on its natural resource wealth.
Nkaw called on policymakers to adopt stricter regulations and invest in infrastructure to support the commercialisation of associated gas, rather than allowing it to be wasted through flaring.
We have data that shows the government flares about $100 million worth of gas… – John Nkaw (Country Director, ActionAid Ghana)#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork#GHOneTV #NewsAlert#StateOfAffairs @_KodjoMensah pic.twitter.com/dWOkPypNJi
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) April 29, 2025
SP/MA
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