By Chinwendu Nnadozie/Minna
People who cook with firewood may be inhaling equivalent of not less than 60 sticks of cigarette daily which accounts for the third highest cause of deaths among users after HIV/AIDS and malaria, findings have revealed.
To curb the development, Niger State government is partnering with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the German technical partner to provide alternative source of cooking energy.
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Mustapha Lemu, disclosed this while addressing journalists on efforts made by the Governor Babangida Aliyu-led administration to promote an environmentally friendly policy to check lung infections in the state on Monday.
Dr. Mustapha expressed the urgent need for Nigerians to stop exposing themselves to dangers of lung infections, shift from the use of firewood for cooking to embrace use of a cleaner and safer source of cooking.
Attributing cases of deforestation and other non-environmental friendly attributes among Nigerians, especially the rural populace to the use of firewood, the commissioner expressed the preparedness of the state government to initiate moves to discourage the use of firewood.
To check further hazards due to deforestation and health related harmful cooking practices, the state government, Mustapha said, is partnering with the USAID and the German technical partner in the procurement of energy-efficient stoves to be distributed to schools and homes in the state.
He said 100 of such stoves provided by the donor agencies have been donated to educational institutions in the three senatorial zones of the state for experimental purpose while other 100 purchased by the state government will be shared to some households for the same objective.
Households that will be given the energy saving stoves during the experimental period, the commissioner said will be committed to allowing researchers gain access into their homes to gather information on the efficiency or otherwise of the improved cooking stove.
The main objective for adoption of the energy saving stove, he said includes checking respiratory problems among those using firewood for their cooking, reduce the rate of deforestation for a more health and environmental friendly policy and as well, generate employment for the youths who would take up plans for the item to be produced in the state.
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