By Betty Luke
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has assured the government’s commitment to transforming the energy landscape in public institutions through the introduction of cleaner, safer, and more efficient cooking solutions.
Speaking during the commissioning of a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking facility at Isiolo Girls High School, the CS said the initiative aims to phase out the use of charcoal and firewood in schools and other public institutions.
The initiative is part of the government’s efforts towards achieving a greener environment and a sustainable solution to climate change which continues to expose millions of Kenyans to the risk of drought, floods and hunger.
“The government is committed to ensuring all public institutions adopt cleaner sources of energy and this is just the beginning,” said CS Wandayi.
He said although the government was investing in cleaner and efficient sources of energy, everyone within the society including actors in the private sector had a role to play in conserving the environment.
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure cleaner cooking solutions reach every corner of the country and to achieve this, we must work together,” he noted.
Petroleum PS Mohammed Liban echoed the sentiments, stating that the LPG program is part of the government’s broader effort to conserve the environment and improve hygiene in schools.
“We are glad that the project has contributed to the general hygiene of the school,” he said, assuring the school fraternity of the safety and security of the plant.
A total of 20 schools across the country have already been piloted with the government targeting to install the LPG tanks to 11,000 public learning institutions including secondary and tertiary institutions in bid to completely eradicate charcoal and firewood use.
Liban said they had established that a huge number of government institutions including police stations, public hospitals and National Youth Service (NYS) were using charcoal or firewood and therefore the need to promote eco-friendly energy sources.
Isiolo Girls High School Chief Principal Halima Godana said the project would bring major improvements to the school’s kitchen operations while also promoting use of clean energy.
The Ministry, CS Wandayi said, had allocated close to Sh1.3 billion to connect thousands of families in remote parts of Isiolo county to the national grid, projects that will be implemented by Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) and national power distributor, Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
REREC will undertake Sh715 million worth of projects while Kenya Power Sh570 million.
“Besides lighting up the homes, the power will support learning and promote businesses that depend on electricity to thrive,” he said.
