Please switch to cooking gas – Lagos pleads with residents

by Adedayo Ademuwagun

The Lagos state government is urging residents of the state to cook with gas cookers instead of kerosene or firewood. The ministry of energy and mineral resources gave out free 3 kg gas cylinders to residents in Ojodu recently to set off the EKO GAS initiative.

Regina Obasa, Permanent Secretary of the ministry said they started the EKO GAS project in collaboration with the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She said the objective of the project is to encourage people who use kerosene stoves or firewood to switch to cooking gas.

“It is suspected that the use of kerosene, fire wood and charcoal are likely causes of diseases like conjunctivitis and bronchitis, because of the fumes inhaled during cooking,” she said.

She also said that the state government is distributing free Eko Gas stove cylinders to residents in local government areas, and that this would continue every week till the end of the year.

“This has been taken to Ikorodu LG, Isolo, Eredo, and Badagry. Today we went to Alimosho, Orile Agege, Ajeromi Ifelodun and Ojodu.” she added.

The Ojodu council chairman, Honourable O. Oloro expressed his appreciation to the ministry, saying about 500 gas cylinders were distributed to residents in a non-partisan way. He promised to encourage people in Ojodu to keep using cooking gas.

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry executive, Femi Adeeko also spoke on the importance of switching to cooking gas and pledged that his organisation would continue to partner with the government in safeguarding the environment against hazardous substances emitted while cooking with charcoal, firewood and kerosene.

Residents react

Meanwhile, some residents and small restaurant owners in the states have commented on the government’s request.

Saidat, a housewife, said, “It’s a good move. Incidentally, I’ve been meaning to switch to gas because I hear it cooks faster, but maybe now I can get one from the government. It would be good.

“But the problem is that some people would collect theirs and sell it. It doesn’t matter if the government brands it or not. People might sell it and go on using their stoves.”

Bayo, who runs a small restaurant says, “Right now we use charcoal stoves to cook food in order to keep costs low, and I guess using gas would be more expensive. Regardless, we’ll be happy to get a cylinder from the government. Maybe by using gas cookers we can step up and improve the image of our restaurant.”

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