During a ceremony organized by Windek Energy Limited in Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Uwandu, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Gas 360, revealed some alarming statistics regarding the use of firewood and charcoal in Nigeria.
He stated that over 98,000 Nigerian women die annually due to the use of firewood and charcoal, with about 21,000 of these deaths occurring in the Niger Delta region alone.
Uwandu emphasized that cooking with firewood and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes, highlighting the health risks Nigerian women face daily.
Uwandu pointed out that cooking with ‘dirty’ fuel is the highest killer in Nigeria, yet it doesn’t receive as much attention as malaria and HIV/AIDS.
He lamented the fact that while $4.6 billion was provided globally to fight malaria and HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, clean cooking initiatives received less than $200 million.
He called on both the national and sub-national governments in Nigeria to prioritize clean cooking and unlock global opportunities in this area.
The Managing Director of Windek Energy Limited, Nosa Igiehon Okunbo, emphasized the company’s commitment to preventing deaths resulting from the use of dirty cooking fuels.
She stated that their latest LPG facility is not just a project but a movement aimed at promoting clean energy use across Nigeria, with the goal of preventing the preventable tragedy of deaths caused by dirty cooking fuels.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Obong Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended Windek Energy for their commitment to the project, which he described as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards energy security and economic prosperity.
He emphasized the importance of strategic investment in the gas sector for driving industrialization, creating jobs, and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.
The state Governor, represented by the deputy governor, expressed happiness over the project, stating that it underscores the state’s commitment to enhancing energy capacity and signifies growth and progress in Akwa Ibom State.
These revelations come in the wake of a 2019 UN report which disclosed that nearly 4 million individuals die prematurely each year due to illnesses caused by household air pollution.
