Engineer Seth Mahu, the Project Co-Ordinator of Ghana Improved Cookstoves Distribution Initiative says many Ghanaians are benefiting from Gyapa Cookstove Distribution Exercise which took off some years ago.
He said 380,000 out of 500.000 gyapa cookstoves have been distributed across the country as the remaining 120, 000 pieces will be distributed by the end of the year.
It will be recalled that, during the 2nd Africa Climate Change Summit held in October 2019, in Accra, President Akufo-Addo indicated how the effect of Climate Change is undermining Africa’s ability for growth and development, and pledged the commitment of his government towards taking practical and proactive steps to mitigate the impact of climate change on the planet.
President Akufo-Addo explained that the use of these improved and efficient charcoal stoves, coupled with the ongoing reforestations programmes, has the potential to significantly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and the rate of deforestation in the country.
The project is sponsored by East-West Power Corporation, the Climate Change Centre (CCC), and the Government of South Korea, for providing the grant funding of US$5,500,000.00 to produce locally and distribute 500,000 improved charcoal stoves in Ghana in exchange for carbon credit to offset their carbon dioxide emissions.
Speaking to the media during an interview Mr. Mahu said the five hundred thousand improved cookstoves would be distributed to beneficiary households in all the sixteen (16) Regions of the country, using the distribution systems adopted by the government and the Korean investors.
In terms of the creation of job opportunities, about two hundred direct jobs have been created by this project alone in Ashiaman, Komkope, Mobole, Achimota, Kasoa, Weija, Ablekuma Joma, Cape Coast, and Kumasi, where artisans were engaged in the production of the various components of the stoves.
This is expected to increase to some 1,000 direct jobs, he said.
“We want Ghana to be the hub distributor of cookstoves in Sub-Saharan Africa to help leverage investments to grow the cookstoves manufacturing industry, increase access to improved cooking solutions, and maximize the benefits for our socio-economic development”. He stated.
Mr. Mahu thanked the Ministry of Energy led by the Minister Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh for the laudable initiative.
The media team later visited one local manufacturing company of gyapa cookstoves called REKOFF Company at Ablekuma Joma where many of the gyapa cookstoves were produced.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rekoff Company Francis Kofi Kugblenu said he has employed over hundred workers as business is booming and thanked the Ministry of Energy for the partnership.
By Nana Amoako Gyampa