Dr. Isiaq Salako, Minister of State for Environment, has advocated for the adoption of biogas as an alternative energy source for domestic cooking, particularly in rural areas.
He said the move will reduce reliance on charcoal, thus preserving the ecosystem, promoting human health, and curbing the exploitation of forests for charcoal production.
Dr Salako emphasized the environmental and health benefits of biogas, noting that ”it provides quick heat for cooking and is environmentally friendly, even in enclosed spaces, unlike charcoal.”
He urged Nigerians to embrace biogas to help save the environment.
The Minister’s remarks came during the inauguration of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Diamond Green Park and the symbolic planting of 60 economic trees at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as part of NIPR’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.
The theme of the event was “Green Nigeria.”
Speaking through Dr. Zacharia Buba Yaduma, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Salako expressed concern over the extensive exploitation of forest trees for charcoal production.
He described this practice as harmful and called for a shift to alternative energy sources such as biogas.
“Tree planting is very important to the environment because the tree will release oxygen that we take while the carbon dioxide that we release is what plants live on.
“So, planting trees is very important for our own health. It is because of trees that we are living; what the tree releases, we take in as air,” Salako explained.
He highlighted the detrimental effects of charcoal production on forests, particularly in Ogun State, and promoted biogas as a sustainable alternative.
His words: “There are things we look at as beneficial, but it is a great harm. When you go deep into the forest of Ogun State and other places, you will see the level of exploitation of plants because of charcoal production.
“We are thinking of an alternative source to charcoal; this is what we are advocating – that is, using waste products to produce biogas.”
Salako praised the NIPR for its Green Nigeria initiative and encouraged the organization to undertake more climate actions at both collective and personal levels.
He stressed that the event’s theme was ”a call to action to adopt practices that promote environmental stewardship, reduce carbon footprints, and invest in the health of the nation’s ecosystem for sustainable development.”
