By Omotayo Edubi
The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, stated that about 100,000 Nigerians die annually due to hazardous cooking habit.
“Thousands of Nigerians die as a result of inefficient cooking practices using polluting stoves paired with solid fuels like charcoal and kerosene,” he said.
Making reference of a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), the vice president said of the 4.3 million people that die annually from inefficient cooking practices “about 100,000 of this unfortunate statistic are Nigerians.”
According to him, an estimate of 600,000 Nigerians have died in the past six years under President Muhammadu Buhari, since he assumed office in May 2015.
Osinbajo, who left Nigeria for the World Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday, disclosed this Tuesday in a statement on his Facebook page.
Use of hazardous fuels for cooking is “third highest killer in Nigeria after malaria and HIV,” Osinbajo said.
He added that, “The need to transition from these fatally hazardous fuels to cleaner energy is exigent, and there is an easy answer: initiating conversations that will ensure sustainable availability and access to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), like the one we are gathered for today at this year’s LPG Week 21.”
