Department of Women to popularize smokeless hearths

Kpeve, (V/R), Dec. 28, GNA- The Volta Regional Directorate of the Department of Women has embarked on a drive to popularize the construction and use of smokeless hearths (stoves) in rural communities in the Volta Region. Miss Lena Alai, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Women announced this at a demonstration workshop on the innovation for about 100 women from the Ho municipal area, Hohoe and South-Dayi districts at Kpeve on Wednesday. She said the programme formed part of the Department's environment programme.

Miss Alai said the innovation sought to minimize the health hazards rural women faced from prolonged exposure to smoke in their kitchens, the cost of fuel on the domestic budget, the hustle women and children go through looking for firewood from the bush and the unsustainable exploitation of wood for firewood. Miss Alai said the new hearths, which could have as many cooking compartments as desired would help women to undertake many cooking related activities simultaneously and thus save time for rest and other productive activities. She said the hearths were built to take smoke out of the kitchens through chimneys constructed behind the kitchens.

Togbe Akliku Ahorney II, Volta Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said constant exposure of rural women to smoke in the kitchen has similar effects as cigarette smoking. Speaking on the topic, "fuel wood consumption, implications for women and development" he said exposure to kitchen smoke could cause eye, chest and lung problems. Togbe Ahorney said the unsustainable manner in which communities were exploiting their forests for firewood and other resources should be minimized and conscious efforts made to replant trees. He said nature could no longer be relied upon to replenish the lost vegetative cover, including trees because of pressure from the increasing population, which did not give enough time for natural forest regeneration.

Togbe Ahoney said conscious efforts should therefore be made to improve on local technologies such as the smokeless hearths to slow down the rate of exploitation of forest resources such as wood. He said those who could afford it should take to using gas for cooking because it is cleaner, faster and cheaper in the long run.