Climate Change: 95,000 women die of CO₂ related Cases annually in Nigeria

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Carbone dioxide from the smoke of charcoal and firewoods being inhaled by women while cooking has caused the death of About 95, 000 women in Nigeria, director general National Council for Climate Change, Dr Salisu Dahiru, has diaclosed

Dr Dahiru who was represented by Mr Kensily Uba in a speech delivered at a women sensitization programme on Atmosfair Save 80 Cooking Stove at Manpower Development Institute, Dutse, JIgawa state capital said 95, 000 women die annually as a result of inhalation of smoke emission obtain from the use of charcoals and firewood on three stands stones or footed.

The director general explained that the council for climate change has collaborated with Atmosfair Save 80 Cooking Stove of Germany and produce millions of the new advance technology cooking stove to reduce the calamity in the country.

According to him the new innovation can save many lives of women if it can be accepted and be used accordingly.

“As you know the climate is fast changing and the afforestation is very high and is getting worst. Also one of the way to reduce afforestation is through these alternatives sources.

“The stoves you see today are very efficient and it lead to low Carbone emission as well as it conserves heat and reduce Carbone dioxide people inhale during cooking. It also save lives,” he explained

Also if the women embrace the use of modern cooking Stoves more lives will be saved from inhaling toxic carbon dioxide during their daily cooking.

On his part the chairman of the Atmosfair Save80 Cooking Stove, Ambassador Faruk Malami Yabo said concerns over the situation made his organization to collaborate with the council for climate change and the stove available to women.

He said the stove is safer and more economical as it needs very small quantity of firewood or charcoal without smoke that woul harm the woman cooking.

“The total production cost of the stove you are seeing, is N110,000 but the company and the council for climate change subsidized it to be sold at the cost of N40,000 only”.

The Commissioner of women Affairs, Hadiza Abdulwahad encourage all women in the state to use the new stoves produced by Atmosfair Save80 Cooking Stoves.

“I will lead the crusade to advertise the cooling stoves to all the 27 Local Government Areas to stop the use of the old method that consume many firewood,” she said.

Also the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Dr Abdullahi Namadi said the coming of this method of using less firewood came in good time.

“Already the state government has empowered forest guards who are enforcing law against indiscriminate felling of trees. This can help the state to reduce the loss of our forest resources and discourage afforestation,” he stated.