Rotary Club of Lafia Central, Nasarawa State, has donated a Biofuel Production Technology Centre to Angwan Rere community in Lafia Local Government Area of the state.
The centre is designed to promote clean energy and mitigate negative climate impact on the environment.
Inaugurating the centre on Wednesday in Lafia, Rotarian Ayoola Oyedokun, the District 9125 Governor, said biofuel was a better alternative to fire wood and charcoal.
According to the district governor, the centre will produce briquette in commercial quantity for the community to serve as business venture to improve the socio-economic status of residents.
“Rotary Club of Lafia Central has a unique biofuel technology centre where members of the community are trained in briquettes production.
“We all know that Nasarawa State has banned the use of charcoal, and we want to explore other alternatives that can be used.
“Briquette is an alternative to charcoal because of its clean energy and hotter fire,’’ he said.
Oyedokun enjoined Nasarawa State people to join the Rotary Club so that it could expand its reach in touching more lives in communities.
He also tasked the Angwan Rere community on prudent management of the centre.
In her remarks, Dr Esienanwan Effiong, “Change Maker’’ President, Rotary Club of Lafia Central, said the centre was part of its waste-to- wealth project aimed supporting the environment, economic and community development, sanitation and hygiene among others.
She said the club brought experts to train 20 master trainers to train others on to how to produce briquettes by converting wastes, animal dungs, leaves, cassava products and many more to biofuel.
She added that apart from inaugurating the Biofuel Technology Centre, the club also empowered 20 beneficiaries with the briquette stoves.
“They have produced 150 briquettes kits already.
“In the near future Angwan Rere will place Nasarawa State on the map of the world as one of the producers of biofuel from agriculture waste,’’ she said.
Effiong called on the state government and other organisations to partner with the community to expand the centre for the commercialisation of briquettes beyond Nasarawa State.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Chief of Angwan Rere community, Alhaji Abubakar Musa, thanked the club for the empowerment.
He promised that the community would make judicious use of the centre for its overall benefit. (NAN)