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 from domestic level, the Federal Government has approved the 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 government’s plan, during the South-west 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 environmental-friendly cooking stove was demonstrated to the admiration of 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 that issues revolving around climate change are very dear to the heart of President Bola Tinubu-led administration, adding that the present administration has 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 wants 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 value 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. The government is seeing combating climate change as a way to address many troubles confronting the country. When  jobs are created and the forest are being more managed, bandits will not be hiding there and you have more peace.”

Dahiru said that deforestation is one huge problem through which the country contributes to climate change, adding that the use of this Atmosfair Save80 Clean Cookstoves has the power to reduce by 80% the use of firewood.

According to him, “Women are very critical to achieving success in climate change campaign and this is because of their major daily duty of feeding the family. In doing this, they use firewood or stoves powered by kerosene, charcoal, sawdust, cow dungs, among others, which release smokes that pollute the environment and causing climate change.

“Aside this, they also inhale these smokes probably with their children who are always with them when cooking constituting great health hazard. But with this clean stove, no smoke, less of fire wood is used, it is faster and it will also help in great savings, so it will be good for them to embrace it.”

He said that though these clean stoves were originally designed in Germany but they will be produced here in the country, as the promoters are already willing to establish one of those factories in Ogun State.

Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Director of Special Duties and Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Egbemuyiwa Olatunji, said that the government of Governor Dapo Abiodun would always embrace efforts at combating climate change, adding that the present administration had equally distributed 1,000 clean cookstoves to the residents of the state.

The Chairman, Advisory Board of Atmosfair Climate and Sustainability Limited, producer of the clean cookstoves, Ambassador Faruk Yabo, also said that the friendly climate, device if embraced, would serve as a big boost in combating climate change.