Abibiman Foundation in collaboration with SNV Ghana,
Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves GHACCO), Global Alliance for Clean
Cookstoves and other stakeholders organized a one day event to commemorate international women’s day which was held on the 11th March,2014 at
Barkuman, Tema New Town in the Tema Metropolis.
The theme of the International
Women’s Day is “Fighting Climate
Change-The Role of Women”.
The event was held with three (3) main objectives
which include:
- To highlight the critical linkages between Women and Girls and the cooking sector using the case of fish mongers at Tema New Town, Ghana.
- To inspire change by engaging Ghanaian women to fight climate change through the promotion of the use of improved clean cookstoves; an effective technology in reducing the use of firewood for cooking since improved cookstoves save lives.
- To improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solution.
In a
welcome address by the CEO of Abibimman Foundation, Mr. Kenneth Amoateng thank
the women of Tema New Town and all stakeholders in the sector for their
participation in joining Abibimman Foundation to celebrate International
Women’s Day. He reiterated Abibimman commitment to continue empowering women to
be self reliant and urge women of Tema New Town especially the fish mongers to
embrace change by adopting the new improved cookstoves being introduced by SNV
Ghana because is energy efficient, it reduces the quantity of firewood, hence
protecting the environment from degradation and reduces the health risk
associated with the chorkor stoves.
In a
speech delivered by the CEO of ANOMENA Ventures on behalf of Ghana Alliance for
Clean Cookstoves(GHACCO), Dr. Sabinna Mensah introduced participants to the
objective of the programme and stated that this programme was earmark to
commemorate international women’s day which seeks to educate the women of Tema
New Town on the impact of climate change and
the introduction of improved cookstoves which is energy efficient
and reduces the quantity of firewood use
and hence reducing the cost the spend on firewood to cater for their children
‘schools fees. She also urge the gradual adoption and introduction of LPG.
In a
statement read on behalf on SNV Ghana, Mr. Emmanuel Aziebor Introduced to the
women the concept of Improved Fish Smoking Stove and urged them to embrace the
idea of the project since it will help in the fight against climate change and
promote conservation of our forest reserve because the quantity of firewood
used for fish smoking will be significantly reduced. According to him, the role
women play in the society is very significant and hence acceptance for the
improved cookstoves for women of Tema New Town will help protect the
environment and also reduces the effects of smoke.
In a statement delivered by the Head of Department
for Community Development of TMA informed women of the community about the
programmes the department runs in the Tema Metropolis and stated that her
outfit organizes income generation activities for both men and women groups.
They also organized group meetings; mass meetings in collaboration with MASSLOC
in order to enable the groups obtain loans from MASLOC for their work. She also
touched on issues such as the Improved Fish Smoking Stove and encourages the
women of Tema New Town to embrace the improved cookstove because is climate
change friendly and does not pose any threat to their health as compare to the
chorkor stove. In her statement, she urged the women to absorb 50% of the total
cost while SNV Ghana pay the remaining 50%.
In a statement delivered by the chairman of the
coalition of NGOs in Tema (CONGOT), Dr. Elvis Donkor informed the participants
that fish mongers were exposed to health hazards such as respiratory diseases
due to excessive inhalation of smoke from the chokor stove manufacture with
poor materials. He also use the occasion to encourage the women to move from
the chokor stove to the SNV Ghana improved Fish Smoking Stove for fish smoking
which will also improve their standard of living.
According to her, a survey that was conducted by SNV Ghana, along the coast of Ghana last year estimate an average of over 33,000 fish smoking stoves which are in constant used of an average of 5 days every week. She noted that SNV Ghana intend to build about 400 improved fish smoking stoves which will help reduce mangrove and fuelwood consumption, reduce production cost associated with fish smoking and reduced exposure to firewood smoke. She also informed the women that the introduction of the improved fish smoking stove will help improved livelihood of fish smoking entrepreneurs and also reduced deforestation and degradation of mangrove forests in coastal areas in Ghana
