ABUJA – The Federal Ministry of Environment on Tuesday inaugurated 14 units of ozone-friendly low pressure foam machines to commemorate the 2014 International Day for the Preservation of Ozone Layer.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam, who spoke at the official handing over of the machines to the beneficiaries in Abuja, urged them to make effective use of the machines.
Mallam said the first unit of these machines was issued to beneficiaries in Abuja while another 16 units would soon be handed over to another set of beneficiaries in Ibadan.
She said the government in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Orgnaisation (UNIDO) would provide training on the use of the machines for at least 12 months after installations.
The minister, however, described the achievement as another milestone in the phasing out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in all the sector of the economy.
“We officially present and handover a complete set of Low Pressure Injection Foaming Machines, including spare parts, to the beneficiaries.
“These low pressure machines are designed to use ‘Methylformate’ as the foaming agent instead of the currently used Hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) 141b which is an Ozone Depleting Substances,’’ she said.
Mallam, therefore, appreciated the support of the ministry’s implementing agencies namely UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UNIDO in the phasing out process.
According to her, the ministry has enjoyed excellent collaboration in the implementation of Montreal Protocol projects with the implementing agencies.
An Environment Expert in UNIDO Regional Office, Mr Oluyomi Banjo, said the organisation had implemented the project under its Green Industry Montreal Protocol projects in over 86 countries around the World.
Banjo said UNIDO’s role in ODS Hydro chloroflurocarbon Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) in Nigeria was to support air-conditioning, refrigerant and foam sectors to phase out ozone depleting substances.[eap_ad_2]
“UNIDO presently implements HPMP projects in the air-conditioning, refrigerants and foam sectors in over 40 countries around the World.
“Eight counties in the Latin America and the Caribbean, 26 countries in Africa and 15 countries in the Arab region.
“These projects are funded by contributions from the Multilateral Fund as well as bilateral contributions from countries which UNIDO maintains close relationship such as Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain and Czech Republic,” he said.
Some of the beneficiaries thanked the Federal Government and its development partners for supplying them with the machines.
Mr Olayinka Ibitoye, the President of Nigeria Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioners Practitioners, urged the Federal Government to provide the machine for the more of its members.
Ibitoye said the ministry would collect the old machines and give them new machines, adding that the machines would enhance their businesses.
Also, Mr Clement Ekunke, another beneficial, appealed to the government to provide shops for their members to keep the machines.
“These machines are not supposed to be kept in open space, we need a place to keep them because our shops are not spacious enough to use it,’’ he said.
The theme of the 2014 Ozone Day Celebration is “Ozone Layer Protection: the Mission Goes on’’. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]