William JIMOH

Lagos State Government has disclosed that it spent about N300 million on the Eko Gas initiative between last year and now.

Eko Gas is an initiative of the Lagos state Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in collaboration with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, to ensure a safe, cleaner and healthier Lagos.

The State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Taofik Tijani, revealed this at the flag off of free distribution of gas cylinders targeted at low income earners within the Isolo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, where 1,000 domestic gas cylinders were distributed.

According to him, the Fashola-led administration approved the funds in line with its efforts to ensure that every Lagosian adopted Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, as a fuel of choice, in order to reduce carbon emissions from the use of firewood and kerosene, which affect the environment adversely.

He said, “This is an initiative of the Lagos State Government to promote the use of LPG cooking gas as a fuel of choice for Lagosians, knowing that it is a fuel that is environmentally friendly and promote healthy living.

“Between last year and now, the governor approved a sum of N300 million for this initiative with this, we have been able to acquire these LPG cylinders from our stakeholders, to ensure that the initiative record huge success.
“We commenced the distribution of LPG cylinders last year in Surulere and later to Ikorodu, now we are at Isolo and we want to cover all the administrative areas of Lagos state before the year ends to sensitize the masses on the need to use LPG rather than the other unfriendly fuels.”

Speaking further, the Commissioner added, “Our plan is to circulate the gas across the state, starting with the low income earners. We might not be able to cover all the people that are in the state, but we will make sure that it gets to as many people as possible. And we hope that come next year, we will get another vote on funding to enable us cover more places.

Stressing the need for Lagosians to embrace the initiative, Tijani explained that aside ensuring a cleaner environment, LPG is a cheaper source of domestic cooking as it helps reduce health risks, poverty and unemployment.

“Nigeria as a manufacturer of this product has gas in commercial quantities, but a larger portion of this product is consumed by people outside the country, that is the reason why the state government is reawakening the use of gas,” he added.

On the criteria for the distribution he said, “What we do is to meet with the members of the local government, and the local community development areas, market women, Muslim and Christian associations from which they bring some selected members to ensure that the people that need it are the ones that get it.

Also speaking, the Local Government Chairman, Honorable Shamsudeen Olaleye described the initiative as a wonderful assistance to household in the state, because it impacts directly on the life and wellbeing of the masses.

“The initiative is another laudable project by the state government that other states of the federation will emulate,” said the Chairman.
Fashola, had during the commissioning of a newly erected gas plant in Ewu Elepe community in Ikorodu, said that one of the areas of focus of his second term is revamping the energy sector, to ensure that it serves as a driver for the state’s socio-economic development.