'Those Who Cook with Firewood Smoke 60 Sticks of Cigarette Daily'

Research findings globally has shown that people who cook with firewood may be inhaling not less than 60 sticks of cigarette daily which has been the cause of death among many after the dreaded HIV/AIDS and Malaria.

Niger State Commissioner for Science and Technology Dr Mustapha Lemu who disclosed this in Minna on Monday while addressing the press at the end of the state executive council meeting noted that there was therefore need for Nigerians to shift from the use of firewood in all their cooking and adopt the use of cleaner and safer method.

Lemu who attributed the deforestation to use of firewood by most homes in the country said the Niger State Government has taken the initiative to discourage the use of firewood.

According to him the government is now partnering with the United States Agency for International Development and the German Technical Partner in the procurement of energy efficient stoves to be distributed to schools and homes in the State.

He explained that 100 of such stoves provided the  donor agencies have been donated to educational institutions in the three senatorial zones of the state for experimental purpose adding that the other 100 purchased by the state government will be shared to some households across the state for the same objective.

Lemu said however that households that will be given the energy saving stoves will be committed to allowing researchers entry into their homes to gather information on the efficiency of the gadget.

The major objective behind that adoption of the energy saving stoves the Commissioner said is to among others address respiratory problems among those using firewood for their cooking, reduce the rate of deforestation of the environment and generate employment for the youths since the stoves will in the long run be produced in the State.

The Commissioner also disclosed that following a representation made to the Federal Government by the State Government over the movement of the earth in Lukma village in the Paikoro Local Government area of the state the Federal Government has chosen Niger and Ebonyin states for the establishment of special laboratories for the monitoring of earth movement in the country.

He said contract for the project has been awarded adding that the laboratory for Niger state is located at the permanent campus of the Federal University of Technology Minna. He did not state the cost of the project.

Meanwhile the Commissioner for Tertiary Education Alhaji Bashir Nuhu has disclosed that the Niger State School of Midwifery posted a 100% pass in the  latest result released by the Nursing and Midwifery council of Nigeria.

Bashir Nuhu who was represented at a Media briefing in Minna on Monday attributed the success to ‘adequate attention paid to the institution and other schools in the state by the present administration’.