Centre to provide clean cook stoves to 265, 000 in Ebonyi

Mr Ewah Eleri, Executive Director of the organisation, stated this in Abakaliki recently during a one-day workshop organised by the body for stakeholders on the use of energy-efficient cooking stoves.
The theme of the workshop was “Ebonyi State Safe Cooking Energy Programme”.
Eleri disclosed that ICEED was collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Office for Grants and Donor Agency in Ebonyi in the programme.
“Twenty-nine pilot schools in the state are using our energy-efficient cooking stoves and can testify to its high efficiency, health and economic attributes.
“The World Health Organisation says that over 95, 000 Nigerians die annually as a result of smoke from cooking wood and there is, therefore, need to apply energy conservation in the use of wood for cooking.
“Overdependence on firewood as the main source of cooking energy has resulted in accelerated forest depletion as signs of severe deforestation are being reported daily.”
The executive director said that the stoves would also be given to small businesses and 35 institutions in the state over the next three years.
He said that the stoves would be produced in the state, adding that the production and distribution processes of the item would create a minimum of 1,000 new direct and indirect jobs.
He explained that the use of the stove would improve health and safety conditions of households through reduced particulate-matter emissions.

“It will also positively impact on poor household economy by reducing cooking-fuel expenses, attract foreign investment, alleviate pressure on forests and empower women as lead entrepreneurs,” he said.
In his remark, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the state, Dr Ifeanyi Ike, thanked the centre for the initiative, noting that the government would always support home-made technology.
“The Ebonyi Government is seriously interested in the project as the stoves are being used in our pilot schools while we have showcased them in several trade fairs across the country.
“We should all support the initiative, having come from our own son, as other states are showing interest in it,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary in state’s Ministry of Environment, Chief Simon Okpo, also commended the centre and directed officials of the ministry to increase the awareness for programme.
“The project has even made things easy for us as the product enhances environmental cleanliness, reduces pollution and generally improves health conditions,” he said. (NAN)