Over 5000 teachers in Arusha City get free gas burning stoves to boost national clean energy initiatives

By Zelidya Ladislaus

More than 5000 schoolteachers in Arusha City have been provided with full set burner gas stoves in support of the Tanzania government’s campaign to promote clean energy for protecting the environment.

The filled 13 kilogram Burner Gas Stoves were distributed to the tutors at the General Tyre Grounds in Themi Hill Ward of Arusha Urban Precinct, during the occasion to mark the World Teachers Day.

The initiative was hatched by the Arusha-Urban Member of Parliament, Mrisho Gambo, in Association with Oryx Energies at the cost of 418 Million/-, enabling each beneficiary to go home with own gas-filled equipment.

The Parliamentarian pointed out that the Head of State; Samia Suluhu Hassan hatched the clean energy drive in Dodoma when she distributed 200 gas burning stoves to each of the legislators at the National Assembly.

“President Samia directed the members of parliament to take the gas equipment back to their respective constituencies and distribute the stoves to residents in the areas,” said Gambo, adding he decided to extend the initiative much further.

So impressed with Mrisho Gambo’s efforts, President Samia Suluhu placed a direct phone call to the legislator commending him for the job and praising the teachers in Arusha for responding to her nationwide clean energy drive.

On his part, the Director General of Orxy Gas Tanzania Limited, Benoit Araman said his company decided to team up with the legislator because it was also within their mission to ensure that various professional groups in the country adapt to clean energy both at workplaces and domestically.

“It was ingenious for the Arusha Member of Parliament to start with teachers as they are the best medium to carry the message back to the community and educate their pupils and students the importance of clean energy,” added Araman.

Now, during the Themi Hills stove distributing event it was revealed that more than 3000 people in Tanzania die every year from respiratory diseases arising from carbon fumes emanating from charcoal and firewood.

Health experts in Arusha reveal that some trees being burnt as wood or charcoal fuel happen to be poisonous and once people inhale the toxic smoke being exuded from the logs, they get affected with diseases some so chronic to an extent of sending them to graves prematurely.

Gracing the occasion was the Deputy Minister of Education, Omary Kipanga who pointed out that the National Target to ensure at least 30 percent of the country’s population shift to clean energy by 2034.

“So far we are starting to warrant all public institutions with kitchens catering to more than 100 persons, to start using clean energy for cooking,” said the Deputy Minister.

The Primary Schools Education Officer, Mwalimu Hussein Bakari said the teachers who have benefitted in the clean energy project attend to more than 120,000 pupils and students in Arusha City, which means the message will be properly and widely distributed.

The Chairperson of Teachers Union (CWT) in Arusha, Mwalimu Vumilia Joshua while appreciating the gas burning cylinder stoves, called upon authorities to also address other problems facing the tutors in the country.