The International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED) has raised concern over the health risks of using firewood to cook and its impact on the environment.
Mr. Ewah Eleri, Executive Director of the Centre stated this during inauguration of the Clean Cooking programme in Abakaliki on Monday.
Eleri said that the use of wood for cooking also contributed to environmental degradation and climate change.
He said that according to the World Health Organization, 78,000 Nigerians had died as a result of smoke inhaled while cooking with firewood.
“The programme inaugurated today will bring benefits of clean cooking to 130 households and small businesses and 30 boarding schools in the state.
“It will increase access to modern and healthy cooking and create domestic production of clean cookstove in the 13 Local Government Areas of the state,” Eleri said.
The Wife of Ebonyi governor, Mrs. Richael Umahi, said that affordable, reliable and research-based cooking methods had become imperative to ensure a healthy environment.
Umahi said she was optimistic that through the method, lives would be saved especially those in rural communities.
She urged students in boarding secondary schools to continue with efficient clean cooking practice.
“I appreciate ICEED with support from Heinrich Boll Stiftung for the lofty initiative.
“It will impact on our people positively and urge the centre to do more in research development for affordable cooking methods,” Mrs. Umahi said.
Also speaking, Mr. Steven Odo, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Business Development advised that the initiative should be adopted for entrepreneurship and economic project.
Odo said that the involvements of key stakeholders would speedy up the realization os the goals of the initiative.
Mr. Donatus Njoku, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development said that efforts would be made to take the clean cooking campaign to the rural dwellers. (NAN)
