Oryx, stakeholders donate gas cylinders to 5000 teachers
ARUSHA: In celebrating the World Teachers’ Day, the Oryx Gas Tanzania Limited (OGTL), in collaboration with various stakeholders, has donated 5,000 gas cylinders worth 417.5m/- to primary and secondary school teachers in Arusha.
Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and Technology, Omar Kipanga, who was the guest of honour during the World Teachers’ Day celebrations in Arusha on behalf of Education Minister Professor Adolf Mkenda, expressed gratitude to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her continued efforts in promoting the use of clean cooking energy.
“Today, as we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, our theme focuses on clean cooking energy. As you know, President Dr Samia launched this clean cooking energy campaign in May this year. Our government’s goal is to ensure that by 2034, 80 per cent of Tanzanians will be using clean cooking energy,” Kipanga said.
“We also thank Arusha Urban MP Mrisho Gambo and Oryx for donating gas cylinders to 5,000 teachers to promote clean cooking energy. As I mentioned earlier, the campaign that President Samia launched on May 8, 2024, aims to ensure that every Tanzanian adopts clean cooking energy.”
Deputy Minister further highlighted the Ministry of Education’s commitment to promoting clean energy use, starting with institutions serving more than 100 people, to ensure they transition to clean cooking energy.
“Teachers who have received gas stoves will also undergo proper training on the use of clean energy so that they can pass on the knowledge to the wider community, encouraging everyone to adopt clean cooking energy,” he said.
He added that during the last parliamentary session, each MP was given 200 stoves to distribute in their constituencies, as part of the effort to promote clean energy use.
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Earlier, Managing Director of Oryx Gas Tanzania, Mr Benoit Araman, said in collaboration with Arusha Urban MP Mrisho Gambo, they have managed to distribute stoves to 5,000 teachers, as part of their commitment to encouraging the use of clean cooking energy.
“I would like to appeal to teachers and professors, not just because we are celebrating World Teachers’ Day today, but because I believe you are an essential part of our society and nation. I urge you to be ambassadors for clean cooking energy,” said Mr Araman.
He also emphasised the benefits of using clean cooking energy, noting that it improves health. “In Tanzania, 33,000 people die annually from inhaling smoke and particles from firewood and charcoal. Cooking with Oryx gas will eliminate this issue.”
Moreover, he pointed out that clean cooking energy helps preserve the environment, while students will have more time to focus on their studies instead of spending hours searching for firewood.
Arusha Urban MP Mrisho Gambo acknowledged the contributions of all teachers and noted that, in celebration of World Teachers’ Day, they felt it was appropriate to gift each teacher a gas stove, encouraging them to become ambassadors for clean energy.
Speaking via the phone during the handover ceremony of the gas cylinders and stoves donated by Oryx Gas, organised by Arusha Urban MP Mrisho Gambo, President Dr Samia congratulated the teachers for embracing the clean cooking energy agenda and promised to provide additional stoves in the future.
