The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of 3,400 clean cooking stoves to vulnerable women in Kano State as part of efforts to promote safer and cleaner household energy.
The intervention is being implemented through the Federal Ministry of Environment, with the Kano State Government overseeing the distribution. So far, 800 women have received the stoves under the initiative.
The distribution was inaugurated on Monday in Kano by the state Commissioner for Environment, Water and Climate Change, Dahir Hashim.
Hashim said the Federal Ministry of Environment allocated the 3,400 stoves to Kano to help reduce the health and environmental risks associated with traditional cooking methods.
He added that Governor Abba Yusuf had provided N25,000 to each of the 800 beneficiaries to support their small businesses and strengthen the economic impact of the intervention.
According to the commissioner, prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood poses serious health risks, particularly to women who spend long hours cooking with traditional fuels.
He said the clean cooking stoves would reduce exposure to harmful smoke and lower the risk of respiratory illnesses among the beneficiaries.
Hashim also linked the initiative to the state’s broader climate action programme, saying the government was working to reduce harmful emissions and promote cleaner energy solutions.
He said the state was also pursuing the solarisation of street lights and several Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of efforts to improve energy efficiency.
The commissioner urged the beneficiaries to use the stoves responsibly and appreciated the Federal Government for supporting the initiative and the state government for its commitment to climate action and grassroots empowerment.