The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, in collaboration with the Decade of Gas Initiative, on Monday, flagged off the distribution of free cooking gas cylinders to approximately 300 women in Lagos State.
Speaking at the event held in Ikeja, Ekpo maintained that the distribution of cylinders is part of the government’s initiative to provide 1 million homes with access to clean cooking by the year 2030.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu approved the initiative because he was concerned about the health of his people.
He encouraged the women to transition from cooking with firewood, kerosene, and charcoal to LPG, noting that it is clean, safe, and beneficial for the environment.
Ekpo warned the women not to sell the cylinders, stating that gas would be available to them at a reduced rate.
“Don’t worry about what is going on today; we are working with the relevant sectors to ensure that we bring down the price. We ask you to be patient and cooperate with the government, and the government will work for you toward a better tomorrow,” he stressed.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the cylinders and cease cooking with firewood.
Akume, who was represented by one of his aides, Professor Babatunde Bolaji, explained that the use of firewood involves cutting down trees, and the fumes from the fire pose health risks, including miscarriage.
The SGF also assured that the price of cooking gas would decrease because the Federal Government is currently addressing gas flaring issues, which would provide the country with more gas.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Orelope Adefulure, assured the Lagos women that the SDG would collaborate with the Decade of Gas Initiative to distribute more cylinders across the local government areas in Lagos State.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by the lawmaker for Gaya, Ajingi, and Albasu Federal Constituency, Ghali Mustapha, commended the initiative, noting that the previous administration had failed to distribute gas cylinders to promote clean cooking.
The Coordinator of the Decade of Gas Secretariat, Mr Ed Ebong, said that 250,000 cylinders would be distributed annually until 2030.
According to him, the Monday event in Lagos marked the launch of the LPG penetration programme in the South-West, with the team scheduled to move to Akwa Ibom on Tuesday.
