By Salisu Hamisu Ali — The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, has distributed clean cooking stoves and essential household items to 1,000 beneficiaries in Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano State.
The intervention also included the distribution of NASENI support packs, bags of rice and charcoal to improve household welfare and encourage the adoption of more efficient cooking technologies.
Speaking at the distribution ceremony in Sumaila on Saturday, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Halilu, said the exercise was the fourth phase of the agency’s Sustainable Environment Programme.
Mr Halilu said the initiative was designed to bring practical technological solutions closer to ordinary Nigerians and ensure that innovations translated into tangible benefits for households and communities.
He said every household aspired to provide food for its members, cater for children and build a better future, adding that NASENI believed technology could help people meet their daily needs.
“Today, 1,000 beneficiaries will receive the NASENI Support Packs and Clean Stoves.
“These items represent practical support for families and an opportunity to bring more efficient cooking solutions into their homes.
“The value of the items must be felt in our homes, our businesses, and our communities. That belief is at the heart of the NASENI Sustainable Environment Programme, and it is what brings us to Sumaila today,” he said.
Mr Halilu said the clean cooking stoves were designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce smoke generated during cooking.
He added that the stoves, alongside the household support packs, would help address some of the immediate needs of beneficiaries while encouraging the use of cleaner technology.
The NASENI chief executive noted that the daily cost of cooking continued to put pressure on households with limited resources, saying the intervention was intended to ease some of the burden.
“For many households, the daily cost of cooking places pressure on already limited resources,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to handle the equipment carefully and follow the recommended guidelines for its use and maintenance.
“To our beneficiaries, I encourage you to use these items carefully and to follow the guidance provided for the proper use and maintenance of the cookstoves.
“Share what you have learned with members of your household, and the benefits will extend beyond today’s occasion,” he said.
Mr Halilu said the programme’s success would be measured by the difference it made in the daily lives of the beneficiaries.
“For us, the success of this programme will be seen in the difference these items make in our various homes, the reduction in daily burdens and the ease created for our families,” he added.
He said the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Tinubu, adding that NASENI would continue to promote innovation and community development.
“Across Nigeria, people have the determination to improve their lives. What many need is access, the right tools, practical support and opportunities.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we remain committed to contributing to that effort through interventions that connect innovation with the well-being of our people,” he said.
Mr Halilu said the agency’s activities were guided by what he described as the three Cs: creation, collaboration and commercialisation.
“We create solutions, collaborate with stakeholders, and work to make these solutions accessible and useful,” he said, adding that the programme demonstrated how partnerships could translate into tangible benefits for families.
He commended Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila for supporting the initiative and acknowledged the contributions of the Kano State Government, local government authorities, traditional rulers and community leaders.
“This is certainly not going to be our last outing in Sumaila, and we look forward to more interventions going forward,” he said.
In his remarks, Senator Kawu-Sumaila expressed support for the programme and commended the Federal Government for its interventions in Kano South Senatorial District.
The senator said his approach to public service was centred on demonstrating achievements through tangible projects rather than making promises.
“I don’t want to talk much because we have resolved in our committee that we will advance our cause with action, not by word,” he said.
He said he had presented his legislative activities and constituency interventions as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective representation.
Mr Kawu-Sumaila disclosed that his legislative record included bills, motions and contributions on issues affecting education, healthcare, water supply, agriculture and rural development.
He also praised President Tinubu for supporting infrastructure projects in Kano South, particularly irrigation schemes that he said had remained abandoned for decades.
“For example, at Chalawa Goje in Karaye, it was finished, and it was abandoned for almost 32 to 34 years. But now, under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the dam is being reconstructed, and irrigation activities are being reactivated,” he said.
Some beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and NASENI for the intervention, describing it as timely and beneficial to their families.
They said the cooking equipment and other household items would help meet their immediate needs and ease some of the financial pressure associated with daily living.