The federal government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that environmental considerations are not relegated in the production and promotion Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as well as fossil fuels.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, gave the assurance while inaugurating the Inter-Agency Committee on Fuels to promote the use of Low Sulphur Fuels and CNG in the country recently in Abuja, yesterday.
The minister noted that the use of cleaner fuels will significantly reduce air pollution and human health challenges caused by high sulphur in petroleum products, while lamenting that high sulphur fuels have been linked to rising cases of asthma attacks, acute/chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive lung diseases and many other ailments.
He further stated that the reviewed Nigeria Industrial Standards for Sulphur Concentration in Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene was made possible by the mandate of the ministry and support from critical stakeholders.
According to the minister, the standards are as follows: Diesel, from 300ppm to 500ppm; Petrol–1, 500ppm to 150ppm and Kerosene -1, 500ppm to 150ppm in 2016 and transition was proposed in 2017-2019.
He stated that the term of reference of the committee includes the creation of a pollution monitoring team, quality reporting on findings, an annual report with recommendations to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), among others.
The Director of Environmental Assessment (EAD), Mrs Bolorunduro B, who is also the acting Permanent Secretary, urged the committee members to put their wealth of experience together to attain the national assignment.
