Envirofit holds stakeholders consultation, feedback from ICS, Commercial LPG Stoves in Nigeria
By Omolola Dede Adeyanju
Envirofit International Incorporation, Producers of Improved Cookstoves (ICS) and Commercial LPG Stoves in Nigeria held its GS4GG stakeholders consultation and feedback round in Lagos on Tuesday as well as a local Stakeholders Consultation Meeting for GS12890
While speaking to Newsdirect, Managing Director for West Africa, Envirofit Inc., Biodun Olaore, explained that since the inception of Envirofit Inc. in Nigeria, the company has taken strategic steps to resolving hazards encountered when using the local and traditional methods of cooking in the country.
Hence, he stated, “Sensitising the people on ICS is not the duty of manufacturers, it’s actually the responsibility of the government and the agencies responsible for health and pollution, we as Producers have done much more than the money we earn. You can imagine when we tell you we take credits to finance the production of these technologies and then we don’t recover until year five.
“The government, through the National Orientation Agency, has the responsibility to inform people of the implications of cooking with Biomass fuel, they have the responsibility of informing people of global warming. That’s not my beat, I am a producer, my duty is to produce technologies that will help solve some of the problems they highlighted because the bulk of our people don’t know the implications of what they do.”
Although Mr Biodun noted that securing the environment is a general responsibility, he expressed that everyone needs to take collective responsibility for our environment and our world.
The MD however, stated that the major challenges encountered by the firm in Nigeria is based on policy and the currency exchange rate which is actually one of the cross-off issues. “For us,” he explained, “The US Dollars remain the same, however, by the time it is brought into the local market, be it Nigeria or any other country, you realise that the exchange rate becomes way too high above the reach of the target market.”
“When we see this, our strategy to solve the financial challenge is the reason why we go for more carbon projects where we can subsidise the improved Cookstoves (ICS) for the people and they can pay a very minimal price. The ultimate goal of reducing carbon emission, reducing indoor air pollution, is achieved by using ICS, also, it is money and time saving.
Envirofit, a manufacturing company and a carbon project developing company producing energy efficient cooking appliances using PioBiomass fuel and LPG, according to Mr Biodun is close to fourteen years in Nigeria and the firm has been able to move from being a small scale business to a large one He informed that the company has her operations across West Africa and some parts of east Africa, Latin America and Asia.
While several stakeholders, ICS users and Commercial LPG Stoves distributors gave their remarks as regards the product, its efficiency and benefits in ensuring safety. Mrs Onah Victoria submitted that the improved cookstove is very good, portable and moderate.
She enumerated, “The firepower of the ICS is high, one can use it in the kitchen at any time of the day, it has an ash tray that collects the ashes from the burnt coals so you can be assured of a clean surrounding when using it. We can also use it to heat the house when it is cold,” she added.
Speaking to Newsdirect, another participant, Mrs Babatunde Opeyemi Eunice expressed her take-home from the meeting. She revealed that she had heard of the stove online and coming for the session, she got enlightened on how Biomass fueled cooking stove affects the human system without people knowing. ‘With the ICS, I can multitask while cooking, and be assured of safety’ she said.
Mrs Opeyemi expressed her intentions to purchase the stove and urged everyone to have it in their respective homes.
