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CLEAN COOK STOVES IN NIGERIA |
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The past Nigerian government administration in its bid to promote clean cooking amongst rural women and improve their health conditions launched a project to distribute 750,000 clean cook stoves and 18,000 wonderbags under the National Clean Cooking Scheme(NCCS), which aimed to distribute a minimum of 4 million clean cook stoves in each of the six geo-political zones in Nigeria and provide 20 million clean cook stoves throughout the country in five years.
The then government approved a contract worth 9.2 billion naira for the project. The idea behind the project was to reduce the indiscriminate felling of trees which are used for cooking by rural women as well as protect them from suffering avoidable ailments rising from cooking with firewood as a UNDP report suggest that Nigeria is one of the countries where women suffer some ailments as a result of cooking with firewood. Wonderbag is a slow, non-electric cooker invented by a South African eco-entrepreneur, Sarah Collins, seven years ago when she refused to be rendered helpless by a power cut and decided to keep her dinner cooking by surrounding it with cushions. However, this once promising land mark step by the then government has since been terminated by the Nigerian ministry of Environment. The ministry alleged that the contractor did not meet up with the required supply demands attendant to the ministry's 15% mobilization fund as enshrined in the contract. The ministry before terminating the deal, said it had received some deliveries but won't commence distribution until the agreed number of initial delivery were made. But there are very strong believes in Nigeria that the federal ministry of environment under the leadership of the past minister had dubious intentions with the deal. It's reported that the ministry had ordered the contractor to supply less than the specified number of the wares as was on the contract and also tried to lure the contractor to "cooperate" with them- in an obvious attempt to divert money meant for the project to personal account-but the contractors refusal to play along is reported to be the major reason behind the termination of the deal. Infact, an investigation by one of Nigeria's national dailies, Daily Trust, reveals thus, "The ministry started with the inauguration of an implementation committee made up of members drawn from development partners, civil societies, media, auditors and procurement officers from the ministry but the committee was disbanded on the order of the minister after three sittings. Suspecting foul play, a non- governmental organisation, Connected Development (CODE) wrote to the minister of environment on the strength of the Freedom of Information Act demanding a detailed breakdown of how the N9.3 billion was used and how the stoves and wonder bags would be distributed. CODE also converge a stakeholders meeting recently on the clean cook stove and participants at the meeting were told how efforts to get the ministry to explain to Nigerians when the stoves would be distributed failed to yield result". Daily Trust further stated "Daily Trust investigation however revealed that while only 15 per cent of the contract sum was paid to the contract, records at the ministry showed that about 40 per cent of the contract sum had been paid out. Following the mobilisation, our checks revealed that the contractor had procured and brought into the Velodrome at the National Stadium over 200,000 pieces of the clean cook stoves including mini LPGs, Stove 80, Envirofit among others. The ministry was to follow up on the issuance of waiver to the company for the procurement but this was also terminated and as a result over 500,000 pieces of the stoves are currently being held at one of the ports in Lagos. The ministry, in its bid to thwart the contract, also wrote to the bank that granted an Advance Payment Guarantee to the company to stop further transaction with the company as it had failed to carry out the contract. A staff of the bank who pleaded anonymity told Daily Trust that, ?We were shocked when we saw the letter from the ministry but the contractor was able to bring evidence to the bank of work done so far and certified by officials of the ministry.? A directorate staff at the accounts department in the ministry who also didn?t want to be mention told Daily Trust that the going on in the ministry regarding the stoves showed clearly that the stoves would never get to the rural women. ?The contractor is subjected to all sorts of abuses and ridicule because he has refused to ?cooperate? and if things continue this way, I?m sure they will never be paid,? the source said, ?The contractor was asked to bring in a little less number of the stoves than what was contained in the contract but his refusal has pitched him against the minister who has only few days left in the ministry and the permanent Secretary who has taken charge of the whole affair". Before this whole scene, the launch of the project, which was majorly attended by staff members of the environment ministry, rather than the proposed rural women beneficiaries further alludes to some dubious intentions. Now, the matter is in court as the German contractor can't just let it go without a justified fight. He is seeking a court order to stop the government from terminating the contract. It is really saddening that someone wanted to take advantage of an eco-friendly Nigeria in a corrupt way by thinking only about personal bank account balance other than the history that could have remembered her for good. But then, the obvious anti-corruption stance of our new president, Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, has kept everyone on their toes and I hope that it will help make this project a success. I will keep you updated on how this one goes. Knowing that 50% of Nigeria's energy resources is used in cooking the success of this project will help reduce deforestation in Nigeria and help meet our energy demands in an eco-friendly way is the more reason why I want this project to be a success. I just hope it will. Photo 1: en.wikipedia.org Photo 2: Premium Times |
 
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7 Comments
great initative towards healthier environment...good luck :)
Posted 13-08-2015 09:49
What a great project UDEH! I wish all the best for the success of the project!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!!! Keep it up! =)
Posted 08-08-2015 22:37
Clean cooking stoves is a good alternative to using smoky firewood in traditional manner. On one hand it is remarkable that the Nigerian Government is taking initiation on the other hand there is suspicion in transparency of the project. Strict monitoring and supervision will ensure the effectiveness of the project.
I wish for the success of project and hope it brings visible impact in the health and environment.
Thank you for sharing dear Udeh :)
Posted 08-08-2015 16:27
National Clean Cooking Scheme(NCCS) was a real good initiative by your past Nigerian government administration with clean objectives of improving women's healths and environment but unfortunately some unscruplous political elements paved obstacles in it's success path. Hope judiciary makes fair judgement and the project goes full swing. Thanks for sharing, Udeh.
Posted 08-08-2015 04:50
This is grave situation, Udeh. On the one hand Nigerians are deprived of an eco-friendly & healthy alternative of cooking & on the other hand corruption is tarnishing the image & wasting time.
Keeping all other things aside, I believe that National Clean Cooking Scheme takes off & serve the country.
May God Bless & solve the situation soon.
Posted 08-08-2015 01:40
The project is great initiative towards improving health and environment.I hope it is implemented soon and provide the far reaching benefits. Good luck!
Posted 08-08-2015 01:11
Corruption is endemic in the running of Nigeria by successive administration's hitherto but I pray it all ends with the present. Such a lovely project it was thought I had my reservations too but I think Nigerian government should start initiating more eco-friendly policies.
Posted 08-08-2015 00:57