Alia: 2m Cookstoves Initiative To Transform Benue Rural Households

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has said the two-million clean cookstoves Initiative will transform rural households in the state and ensure environmental sustainability and public health protection for the Benue people.

The Governor made this known at the inauguration of the implementation committee on Monday at the Government House in Makurdi, marking a significant step in the state’s efforts to promote clean energy alternatives and reduce environmental degradation associated with traditional cooking methods.

Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Ior Ikyereve, in a statement, said Governor Alia described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at improving the well-being of the people of Benue State, particularly women who were often the most affected by the health risks associated with traditional cooking fuels.

Represented at the event by the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, the Governor said the initiative marks an important milestone in the administration’s broader agenda to build a healthier, more sustainable environment for the people of the state.

“This initiative marks the beginning of Benue State’s journey towards greater prosperity and improved well-being for our people,” the Governor said, emphasising that the programme would significantly reduce environmental hazards and health challenges linked to smoke from traditional cooking methods.

Governor Alia explained that the inauguration of the implementation committee became necessary to ensure effective coordination of the project and to guarantee that the benefits reach communities across the state.

He disclosed that the committee would oversee the distribution of clean cookstoves to women across the state while also driving the planting of one million economic trees as part of efforts to strengthen environmental conservation and climate resilience.

The Governor urged members of the committee to approach the assignment with diligence and commitment in order to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.

Responding on behalf of the committee members, the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Frederick Ikyaan, expressed appreciation to the Governor for the confidence reposed in them and assured that the committee would work assiduously to deliver on its mandate.

Ikyaan pledged the committee’s commitment to ensuring the effective rollout of the project across the state, noting that the initiative has the potential to significantly improve the lives of women and families who depend on traditional cooking systems.

The committee is chaired by the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, while the Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Climate Change, Aondofa Mailumo, will serve as Secretary.