By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
In a move aimed at promoting the use of clean cooking gas (LPG) across the six area councils of the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in partnership with a private organization, IHS, has commenced distribution of cooking gas cylinders with six months free refill to residents.
The initiative birthed by the ‘Project Breath Clean Air Abuja’ was aimed at discouraging the use of firewood and charcoal as means of cooking to clean cooking gas generally known to be safer and healthier.
Launching the project, with the theme “Renewed Hope,One Household at a Time,” supported by IHS Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday,the FCTA Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment Secretariat, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, reaffirmed that the project is strategically designed to advance public health and environmental sustainability, and generally to make life more better.
She said: “Well, the truth is, health is wealth. Health and environment are equal. So the focus of this program is not only to give out palliatives, as we’ve done in the past.
“The main focus of this program is to educate, because knowledge is power. Knowledge is key. Our economy is shaky at the moment, but I believe with good health indices, with people understanding the nexus between health and environment, these are cheap things. Prevention is better than cure. Do not pollute the air. All these things make our lives better.
“So the focus of this is to address the renewed hope. It’s to tell Nigerians that if only we can put our hands together, and not wait for governments alone, we can have a happy, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria. Because truly, with peace and prosperous Nigeria because truly with this, Nigeria will be great again.”
She thanked the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for throwing his weight behind the project, and the IHS Nigeria for their commitment to the project.
On his part Dr. Babagena Adam, the Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, said the project would enhance productivity and improve the GDP of the territory, while assuring that the project would be inclusive.
He said “The gain is to save our environment, and by saving our environment, we’re also saving the pregnant women, along with the family. So if they live healthy, they’ll be more productive, and the GDP of FCT will increase. So a healthy community is a wealthy community, so that’s the benefit.
“If you see our lists that are invited, it cuts across gender, disability, and all the tiers of the sector. You can even see there are more press, and everybody is represented here. So this is to ensure that everybody gets what is being promised of the gas. And that is why we even made it sustainable, that people will get vouchers to refill the gas thereafter.”
Also speaking, Mohammed Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria Limited, said the essence of the program, “in a nutshell and simple English, is about helping 5,000 mothers, sisters, and daughters by not inhaling toxic gases anymore, and by really making sure that their health is better by breathing fresh air. That’s in a nutshell.
“ The six month voucher distributed in addition to the cylinder would encourage the beneficiaries to sustain the usage of the gas cylinders.
“Of course, that’s what the program is about. The key component of the program is first of all to deliver, to give the cylinder, which is normally costly to the beneficiaries, filled. And then we will also provide refills a few times during this program. And then for those who watched the documentary before, I mean, one of the women said that the cost of this gas is actually less than the cost of charcoal and wood, and it lasts longer. So hopefully they also will be able to sustain the use of gas going forward.”
Dakpo Otunla, Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, described the essence of the partnership with the FCT, “a fantastic opportunity to collaborate on a phenomenal sustainability initiative. People and Communities is one of our sustainability pillars at IHS. We have four of them, but this is a very significant one. And the program actually sees to benefit the health and welfare of Nigerian citizens, and fortunately for those within the FCT at this time”
END.
