The national coordinator and founder of a non governmental organisation (NGO), Green Sheild of the Nation, Dr Kabir Abdulkadir Yan-Mama, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the N9.2 billion contract awarded by the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan government for importation of 750,000 cooking stoves from Germany.
He said that aside the fact that “due process was not followed before the contract was awarded 72 hours before the handing over of power to Buhari, there was an ongoing effort under the Ministry of Environment to produce similar but better stoves locally.”
Yan-Mama said that with the N9.2 billion, over three million pieces of the stove can be produced locally while over one million youths can be employed in its fabrication.
He recalled that the whole idea of the alternative energy stoves was conceived during the reign of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua to address deforestation, considering the alarming rate of trees fell per day to provide firewood. He said that aside the danger of deforestation, the ongoing arrangement for the local stoves is also capable of addressing domestic pollution as it uses coal while the imported stoves will merely reduce the volume of firewood consumption in cooking.
The contract is just a parting gift to some people, because it was awarded barely 72 hours to the handing over. And the annoying part is that is that, the contract is generating employment in Germany at the detriment of Nigerian unemployed youths.
“The contract has even been paid for before the product was supplied. The stove per unit is about N12,000 per stove while we can produce it in Nigeria at the rate of N2,500 only.
“With the N9.2 billion naira, we can produce over three million pieces of that stove here in Kaduna and get over one million Nigerian youths employed in its fabrication. But, can you see how laughable it is that, with such huge amount only 750,000 are to be procured. How many household can that serve in Nigeria?” He queried.
He however told the new government that, if the government is serious about climate change as contained in the President’s inaugural speech, then that contract must be revoked and the ongoing effort to produce a more environmentally friendly stove in Nigeria be considered.
Isaiah Benjamin- Leadership Newspaper
