98,000 Nigerian women die from use of firewood, charcoal annually
Over 98,000 women in Nigeria die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal with the Niger Delta recording 21,000 deaths from the figure.
The Managing and Chief Executive Officer, Gas 360, Mr Emmanuel Uwandu disclosed this on Friday in his keynote presentation during the groundbreaking of the 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquified Petroleum Gas Depot Project by Windek Energy Limited held at Atabrikang Aquaha Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He revealed further that cooking with firewood and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes, adding that such is what Nigerian women go through on a daily basis.
Uwandu said “Cooking with firewood, charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes. For an average smoker that is too much, that is what women in Nigeria have to deal with on a daily basis. In Nigeria 98, 000 women die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal and across the 774 local governments that translates to about 2,700 deaths annually.