Climate Change: FG Approves Friendly Cooking Device Plant in Ogun
James Sowole in Abeokuta
As part of measures to mitigate the effects of climate change in Nigeria, the federal government has approved siting of a plant to manufacture an environment-friendly cooking device in Ogun State.
The cooking device, known as
Atmosfair Save80 Clean Cookstove, would be manufactured by a Nigerian subsidiary of a German company, Atmosfair Climate and Sustainability Limited.
The Director General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Salisu Dahiru, disclosed the action of the government, during the Southwest sensitisation programme on the use of Atmosfair Save80 Clean Cookstoves, a climate- friendly device.
The sensitisation programme, which attracted women and representatives of non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), where the environment friendly cooking stove, was demonstrated, to the admiration of the women.
Dahiru, who highlighted advantages of the cooking device, urged people of Ogun State particularly, women to embrace the device, saying the plant, would be the only one in the south-west.
The Director General said issues revolving around climate change were very dear to the hearts of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, adding that the present administration had recognised that resolving the issues of climate change provides it with ample opportunity to achieve many of its objectives such as revamping the economy, providing security and ending the country’s super dependence on fossil fuels.
He said, “This government want to revamp the economy, provide security, it is interested in ending super dependence on fossil fuels.
“We want to use our natural resources to address challenges that the country is facing and addressing them could be possible by prioritising climate change discussion.
“To revamp the economy we want to say that we want to stop using our natural resources in a bad way.
“Take for instance the issue of this clean stove, it helps to address issues of health for the women, issues of time saving, issues of money and deforestation. We are saying we are not going to be importing it, no, it will be produced here in the country providing employment for the people and more revenue for the country in form of tax among other values chain.
“Also take into consideration what we are doing in the area of electricity, we want to make it available to Nigerians at a very affordable costs, we are talking about renewable energy, solar.
“We are talking about reducing our petrol and diesel consumption, we are talking about using gas, having electric buses. All of these require investment, technology, creation of jobs, it requires revenue.”
Speaking on behalf of the state government, Mr. Egbemuyiwa Olatunji, Director of Special Duties and Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, said that the government of Governor Dapo Abiodun, would always embrace efforts at combating climate change saying that the present administration had equally distributed 1000 clean cookstoves to the residents of the state.
