FG to distribute 774,000 cooking gas cylinders to women

To meet the nation’s cooking-energy need, the Federal Government has concluded plans to commence the procurement and distribution of 774,000 cooking gas cylinders with burners to women in rural areas.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen disclosed this at the Clean Cooking Forum in Abuja, explaining that each local government area would get 1000 gas cylinders as part of plans to promote clean cooking.

Tallen also added that the overall objective of the project is to advocate, sensitise and create awareness on the use and benefits of alternate fuel wood/clean cookstoves for women to improve the health and livelihoods of women.

She said that the first phase of the project has been implemented in Adamawa, Edo, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Katsina, Nasarawa and FCT, adding that the second phase will begin in Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Kwara, Jigawa, Oyo, Osun, Enugu, Imo and Delta.

“We intend to work with critical stakeholders,and other spirited organizations on the implementation strategy,which will be a broad framework encompassing all forms of clean cooking and safe measures across the country,” Tallen said.

Also, the Minister of State Environment,Sharon Ikeazor emphasized that clean cooking will save lives, empower women and young girls as well as ensure healthy living and for improving and better quality of life by reducing exposure to air pollution.

She noted that if current policies are allowed to continue by 2030, 60 percent or more of all households in Nigeria will still be cooking with traditional biomass.

Contributing, Ewah Eleri of International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development, called on the federal government to make cooking gas free of charge to households because its usage will save lives of the citizens.