The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has distributed no fewer than 10,000 6kg cylinders with burners in the last 12 months, its President Mr Nosa Ogieva-Okunbor has said.
According to him, it was part of efforts to deepen gas penetration in the country.
He spoke during the group’s Southwest Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sensitisation and awareness campaign in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Ogieva-Okunbor said the campaign involved demonstrating how to use cooking gas, safety precautions to be observed, how to check for leakages and cylinder maintenance.
He said: “NALPGAM is committed toward taking cooking gas into every household in Nigeria.
“With the free cylinders given out, we have freely given out 10,000 cylinders in seven states of the country.
“We are still going to other states until the desired level of awareness and consumption is achieved.
“We cannot be so blessed with LPG in Nigeria and our citizens, particularly the cooking population of our women in rural areas, are suffering to cook.”
Ogieva-Okunbor stated that the use of unclean cooking energy like charcoal and firewood had a very negative effect on the climate due to deforestation and the creation of arid land.
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He referred to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report that the usage of unclean sources of cooking accounts for many cases of respiratory tract diseases and death, particularly among women and children.
The NALPGAM president said the free distribution of the cylinders was to support the ongoing plan by the Federal Government to increase LPG consumption by Nigerians to five million in 2023.
Lagos Zonal Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr Wole Akinyosoye, represented by Mrs Nneka Maduafokem, a top DPR official, praised NALPGAM for the free distribution of the cylinders.
Akinyosoye said deepening LPG penetration in Nigeria, particularly in the rural areas, requires the efforts of all stakeholders in the sector.
Lagos State Fire Service Director Mrs Margaret Adeseye appealed to the beneficiaries to adhere strictly to the safety procedures as demonstrated in the use of cooking gas.
She stated that the essence of the 6kg cylinders was for ease of carriage and refilling, beneficiaries could fill the amount they can afford at any particular time.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Yemisi Sulaimon, thanked the gas marketers for the gesture and assured them that they would put all they had been taught to good use and switch fully to gas usage in their homes.
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