Decades of exposure to gas flaring by the foreign oil refineries in Niger Delta has harmed the health of residents. The harmful plumes of smoke are their constant reminder of an industry that gives them nothing more. As passengers travel along Gbaramatu River in the Delta state of Nigeria, fireballs belch out of steel chimneys, lift up to the sky and cover it in huge plumes of smoke. This is an everyday reality for the many communities that live here. Niger Delta is rich in crude oil deposits and home to multinational companies such as Shell. Gas flaring has been a common practice for the refineries that operate here for decades. It is the burning of natural gases that come up as crude oil is extracted from the earth. It is done to speed up the process of extraction. But the smoke […]