By Adeola Ogunlade
As part of effort to maintain environmental cleanliness and sustainable society. Smart Gas foundation Community Project has recently donated 370 gas cylinders to families in Lagos community.
Tagged Trash to gas had hundreds of residents of Bales, chiefs community leaders, market leaders, women, families and youths at the official launch held in Odiolowo/Ojuwoye LCDA community Mushin Lagos.
The residents were given tools, hand gloves, nylons to get and separate the recycling materials in exchange for a 3kg filled gas cylinder each. They cleaned the environment and others went in search for plastics, pure water, food take away-packs, sachets, containers, and empty can drinks affecting the gutters.
The campaign according to organisers is to ensure that people living in slums stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage that can cause devastating impact of flooding in the rainy seasons.
Speaking at the event, the CEO Smart Gas, Dr. Yinka Opeke said: “the trash to gas campaign is to promote the use of cooking gas as a safer alternative to kerosene, firewood and charcoal.
“We are educating you on the importance of living in a cleaner and healthier environment. The use of firewood and charcoal for cooking, not only impacts our environment negatively due to the emissions; but also your health because of the smoke inhaled mostly by women and children’.
Opeke further said: “this trash for gas campaign further reinforces our focus as a company and the practical steps that we take in supporting our operations. The Trash for Gas campaign addresses these challenges because we will be exchanging your trash for our cylinder and gas thereby leaving you with a healthier and cleaner neighbourhood”.
“There is need for aggressive enlightenment campaigns and advocacy to educate people on the benefit of maintaining a clean and healthy environment. This event is a wake-up call for everyone, to see the damage that we’re exposing ourselves to by littering our environments with trash and using firewood and charcoal.”
In his words, Chairman, Odiolowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon Rasaq Ajala said that the essence of the initiative is to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment by promoting sanitation in our community.”
‘The trash to gas campaign is another way to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal. he said”
The council boss also commended Smart Gas for choosing Odiolowo/Ojuwoye community for the project, particularly now that the government has removed fuel subsidy.He promise to consolidate on the gains made by the foundation, stressing that the community will be mobilise to sustain the massive environmental cleaning project.