Nigerians, especially the rural dwellers have been urged to embrace the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (PLG) as an alternative source of energy for cooking and other activities requiring energy.
The programme manager, National LPG Expansion Implementation Plan, Mr. Dayo Adeshina, gave the recommendation at the Kick off of the National LPG Sensitization and awareness Campaign in Abuja,
Mr Adeshina said that LPG is a much safer energy source for the people and the federal government is committed to ensure that people, especially the rural women move from the use of firewood, kerosene and charcoal to LPG for cooking.
“The awareness and sensitization campaign is part of the programme targeted at twelve pilot states, two in each geo-political zone of the country. In essence, we are going to outline the importance of LPG for the Government, for the industry and for the people. Every year, almost 900,000 people are affected by dirty fuel by kerosene, firewood and charcoal. The government is out to displace the energy mix of cooking which stands at firewood 60% Kerosene 30% LPG 5%, and Charcoal 5%.” he revealed.
According to Adeshina, the federal government is creating enabling environment and awareness and the private sector has made investments in the areas of infrastructure and facilities to drive the LPG expansion in Nigeria, therefore the need for the awareness campaign nationwide.
“ We need to start this awareness campaign because we are moving people in some areas who have never seen a gas cylinder not to talk of how to use it, so it’s important to have this awareness campaign in all the twelve pilot states in the entire country.” he added.
Also speaking, the Deputy Managing Director, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas LNG, Alhaji Sadeeq Mai-Borno, explains that the National LPG Expansion Implementation plan, embarked upon by the federal government is meant to stir the nation’s economy in the right direction adding that the campaign will transform the entire value chain in LPG utilization in the country.
“It’s our contribution as a nation to the reduction of green house gas mission which really contributes to global warming. The Vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo chairs the Ministerial Committee on LPG and I believe the national LPG sensitization campaign is the starting point of implementation of the programme,” he said.
The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, who delivered a paper at the event, entitled; Communicating the National LPG Adoption Strategy-Role of the Federal government of Nigeria, said that Voice of Nigeria aligns with every initiative of the federal government as VON, by its mandate, tells the Nigerian story as it is. He emphasised the need for proper awareness creation through various media platforms including the social media.
“We’re committed in telling the Nigerian story as it is , we don’t add neither do we subtract. We understand that in most parts of the world a lot of people don’t believe that there are good works going on in Nigeria. We have learnt about the LPG Expansion programme headed by the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, so we now said President Muhammadu Buhari can be called Mr. infrastructure. He’s at it again and since then we have been doing the little we can to give the programme the needed publicity,” he said.
The National Liquefied Petroleum Gas Expansion Plan, in collaboration with the Nigerian Energy Support programme and the private sector, is and initiation of the Federal government geared towards developing and driving a long term low carbon emission development strategy in the country.
It focuses on the adoption of LPG for power, agro-industrial activities, transport and house hold activities within the rural, urban and semi urban areas of the country.
The national LPG sensitization and awareness Campaign, which will be held in twelve states of all the geo-political zones in the country, is with the theme; Stimulating National Socio economic Growth through LPG adoption and Expansion.
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