The Lagos State government has reiterated its commitment to continue to take the sanitation advocacy campaign for residents round the state until the residents imbibe the culture of good environmental sanitation practices.
Addressing Market traders / residents at Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro Mushin during the community based Sanitation Exercise/ Sensitization, the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi – Akodu, said maintaining a clean environment is a must for all residents to keep all types of disease at bay.
Akodu who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji and Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr Mahamood Adegbite and Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin had earlier engaged in cleaning the drainage on Agege Motor Road by desilting it, while a waste truck carted it away.
He explained that the clean-up exercise is a follow up to the Mr. Governor’s pronouncement on community based Sanitation, saying the environment must be clean and food handling process must be also hygienic to ensure socio -economic wellbeing of all residents.
While addressing traders at Alamatu market on the state of the environment, Akodu reminded them that the market was shut down late last year as a result of the unsanitary habits advising the traders to clean the market and environs and the heaps of refuse immediately while desisting from street trading.
“As we all know that all forms of diseases are spread through contaminated water and food that are results of unhygienic and poor sanitation practices such as open defecation, poor waste management and poor personal hygiene amongst others. As such our Sanitation Exercise should be an everyday practice and not only on Thursdays” he said.
He said the community sanitation Advocacy is a continuous exercise that will move across the 57 LGs / LCDAs as well as public spaces, markets amongst others with the aim of sustainable good sanitation practices amongst the people.
He said the state is embarking on this advocacy campaign to ensure that the citizens voluntarily continue with the culture adding that if there is no positive change the government may consider a reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercises.
The permanent secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, in his speech said the exercise was to create awareness among the residents on the importance of sanitation practices as a veritable means of controlling and preventing communicable diseases.
“If we deal with the environment properly, the environment will also treat us right and our life span will surely be increased” he said.
He charged all residents to take charge of their environment by cleaning it always and ensure they blow the whistle when their neighbours engage in unsanitary behaviours as the government cannot be everywhere.
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