The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has trained women to mitigate cooking challenges and improve on health and environmental degradation through clean cooking stoves in the country.
Its Director-General, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said this on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the opening of gender sensitisation training on the adoption of clean cooking solutions, organised for women by ECN in Abuja.
The two-day programme focuses on Clean Cookstoves for Sustainable Energy Development for Women aimed at addressing energy challenges through a gender-sensitive lens.
The director-general said the programme would enhance the socio- economic well-being of women and their families.
“This workshop serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaborative action towards promoting the widespread adoption of clean cooking solutions.
“This is tailored to the needs and realities of women who bear the brunt of air pollution from the traditional method of cooking.
“Through interactive sessions, insightful discussions, and practical demonstrations, we will explore innovative technologies, and best practices to accelerate the transition towards clean and sustainable cooking solutions.”
Abdullahi said that the training underscored the commission’s commitment to mainstreaming gender considerations in energy policies and initiatives, adding that women were not only disproportionately affected by energy poverty.
According to him, it also possesses unique knowledge, skills, and perspectives that are invaluable in shaping effective solutions.
He urged participants to actively engage, share experiences, and forge partnerships that would contribute to the success of collective efforts.
“Together, we can pave the way for a brighter, healthier, and more equitable future, where clean cooking solutions empower women, protect the environment, and drive sustainable development for generations to come,’’ he said.
In his remarks, Dr Charles Odii, the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), said the adoption of innovation and technology would bring about significat advancement breakthrough in Various fields.
Odii, who was represented by Assistant Chief Enterprise Officer, Mrs Idorenyi Etim, assured of continued and mutual relationship between SMEDAN and ECN for the growth and development of the nation’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sub-sector.
“This will harness knowledge, expertise and resources to develop initiative solutions that solve problems, improve efficiency, drive progress and deliver,’’ he said.
Alhaji Abdulkareem Aliyu, a resource person, presented a paper titled: “Mainstreaming in Climate Change in Nigeria: Energy Sector”.
According to him, women can play a critical role in responding to climate change due to their local knowledge of sustainable resources at household level.
“Mainstreaming gender in Nigeria’s climate action, particularly within the energy sector of renewable and biomass, is not a social justice issue but a necessity for achieving renewable development.
“By dismantling existing barriers and empowering women, we unlock their invaluable knowledge, leadership and resource management skills.
“This fosters stronger community resilience, unlocks green job opportunities and ensures that climate solutions benefit everyone.
“Nigeria’s transition towards a clean energy must be inclusive and that can only be achieved by placing gender equality at the heart of climate action strategies.
Speaking on behalf of the participating women, Mrs Ngozi Uche, who thanked the commission for the gesture, said the programme would help them to sensitise others to adopt cookstoves as methods of cooking.
By Jessica Dogo
