By UCHE HENRY –
The Director General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Prof. Gloria Elemo has decried the increasing rate of death among women who cook with firewood.
Apart from the bodily danger it constitutes for the users, Mrs Gloria said the practice destroys the environment.
She said this at a stakeholders’ forum on ‘Popularizing the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as an alternative source of energy for women held in Lagos on Tuesday.
The programme was organised a Non-Governmental Organisation, Friends of the Environment (FOTE), in collaboration with the Global Environment Fund (GEF) small Grant program of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
She explained that there is a reciprocal exchange of oxygen and caborn monoxide between man and the ecosystem. She said the relationship requited that men to control their activities and be friendly to the environment.
One of the unfriendly practices which leads to a high mortality rate among Nigerian is the firewood for cooking, she said.
In specifics, she said that 98000 Nigerian women die annually from the use of firewood as a result of smokes emissions. She said the statistics was generated by the World Health Organisatio (WHO)
“This killer Stands as the 3rd in the country after malaria and HIV which stands at 225000 and 192000 death respectively, annually,” she said.
Gloria also revealed that the amount of smoke inhaled by women who cook three times daily is equivalent to smoking three to twenty packs of cigarettes daily.
“No doubt the activities of man is the sole cause of the Global Warming, the carbon monoxide causes lungs and eyes infections, increase in children’s risks of respiratory infection like bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attacks, stroke as well depression of the immune system amongst others.
“For people who already has lungs diseases like asthmatics are more vulnerable to chest pains, palpitations and restrained breathing.”
In averting this, she said FIIRO in collaboration with FOTE has installed a Biogas system at Oko Oba abattoir in Agege, which has helped in solving waste management challenges and in meeting the heat energy requirements of the people in the area.
She also said that FIIRO is working round the clock with other relevant government’s agencies and the organized Private firms to ensure people live healthily.
Also speaking at the occasion, chairperson of FOTE, Mrs J. O. Maduka, called on Nigerians to ensure that every household have a LPG.
She said, “The traditional use of fire-fuel has done more harm than good. No matter what the women believe, especially the aged ones, we must disenchant and disabuse their minds to embrace modern system if we must save lives. Industrial wastes that are injurious to mankind.”
The Director General of Lagos State Fire Service, Fadipe R. I, represented by Mr Waheed said as fire is an enemy to the environment, so is LPG a friend.
He tasked firms to consult relevant government agencies like the State Environmental Agency, the Fire Service, The Lagos state Safety Commission amongst others before citing a gas plant anywhere in the country to avoid unprecedented accident.
Represented by Mr Akin Taiwo, the Director General, Lagos state Safety commission, Mr Hakeem said the commission has proposed a program to educate people on the safety use of the gas Cylinder. ‘we are increasing our sanitization campaigns to the people’ he disclosed.
Fielding questions from journalists, the vice president of LCCI, Engr Duru, said ‘the LCCI has advocated a ‘Pay As You Use’ (PAYU) plan for LPG users. A system that allows the user to buy gas according to his purchasing power.
‘We are looking at the availability, accessibility, acceptability and affordability of LPG.
Therefore; we call on government to intervene to ensure that every woman has access to the gas cylinder for free just as some other agencies are doing; since the gas is a free gift from GOD to Nigeria’ he added.
