Cholera: Ogun Gov’t Threatens Sanctions Against Flouting Precautionary Measures

The Ogun State government, on Saturday, vowed to prosecute anyone, particularly motor park workers, among others, who flouted precautionary measures put in place towards curtailing any possible outbreak of the cholera pandemic across the state.

This is coming just as the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration in the state has given residential buildings across the state that do not have functional toilets, a six-month grace within which to put one in place “or be ready to face the wrath of the law”.

These were contained in a statement issued and signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, on Saturday afternoon in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Akinmade explained that the measure becomes exigent in view of the recently reported cholera outbreak in the 30 states of the federation, which included the neighbouring Lagos State and bearing in mind that people will be in the mood of celebrating this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Akinmade, in the statement, explained that part of the measures included that any house without a functional toilet must identify a room and convert such to a toilet between now and the next six months of grace for compliance.

“All petrol stations, parks and garages, markets, as well as mechanic villages must have functional public toilets with running water as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

“In addition to those measures, residents of the state were also advised to take the following measures as a way of galvanising themselves against the disease.

“Drink safe water that is boiled or chlorinated; wash your hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet and before handling food; wash fruits and vegetables properly with safe water before eating and for preparing food; cook food properly. Buy and eat only hot food; use water from reliable sources, among other precautions,” he stated.

The governor’s aide, however, disclosed that the state’s Ministry of Environment has been put on red alert to activate all its machineries to ensure strict compliance to all the measures laid out, emphasising that “violators would be made to face the wrath of law accordingly.”