Posted by erave
By Idris Aina (www.eraveng.com)
To foster its National Clean Cooking Scheme, the Federal
Government has released N5billion for the purchase of stoves
for rural women across the country. The programme was
launched by FG to discourage the use of Firewood for cooking.
Announcing the release of the funds, Minister of Environment,
Laurientia Mallam, speaking during an inspection visit to the
Velodrome at the National Stadium, Abuja, where some of the
750,000 stoves were being assembled, said the stoves will be
distributed through the various Ministries of Environment.
According to reports, the contractor, Messrs Integra Renewable
Energy Services Limited has been given N1.3 billion from the N5
billion released by the Federal Government for the purchase of
the stoves. President Jonathan is to inaugurate the programme
today.
“We started in the northern parts of the country because of the
challenges we are facing there with the desert encroaching into
the country and people still cut down trees. Now, the President
wants it to spread throughout the country and so we have this
project. The ministry has received N5 billion so far. You know
when N9.2 billion was approved by the Federal Government last
year, we told Nigerians that N9.2 billion has been approved by
the Federal Government. But so far, N5 billion has been released
to the ministry. We have given the contractor 15 per cent, which
is N1.3 billion. That is what we have released to the contractor
and we still have N3.7 billion in the ministry’s account.” she
said.