Over 5,000 households in Abuja are set to benefit from cleaner cooking options as the Federal Capital Territory Administration launches its Breathe Clean Air Initiative, providing gas cylinders and six months of free refills to families shifting away from firewood and charcoal.
The programme, rolled out on Saturday under the theme “Renewing Hope, One Household at a Time”, is a partnership between FCTA and IHS Nigeria, aimed at reducing indoor air pollution, improving public health, and protecting the environment.
Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the initiative goes beyond distributing palliatives, focusing on education and long-term lifestyle changes.
“Health and environment are equal. So the focus of this program is not only to give out palliatives, as we’ve done in the past. The main focus of this program is to educate, because knowledge is power. Prevention is better than cure. Do not pollute the air,” she said.
Fasawe also acknowledged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for backing the project, which she said aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to improve living standards across the territory.
Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat, Dr. Babagana Adam, added that healthy communities translate into productive communities, noting, “By saving our environment, we’re also saving pregnant women along with the family. Healthy communities are productive communities, and the GDP of the FCT will increase.”
On his part, the CEO of IHS Nigeria, Mohamed Darwish, described the programme as a lifeline for mothers and children. “In a nutshell, this program is about helping 5,000 mothers, sisters, and daughters by not inhaling toxic gases anymore, and by really making sure that their health is better by breathing fresh air,” he said.
The launch event brought together health and environmental experts, community leaders, and development partners, culminating in the symbolic distribution of gas cylinders to women across the six area councils.
