Cholera Outbreak: Ogun Warns Against Flouting Control Measures

As Nigeria continues to record more fatalities from cholera outbreaks, Ogun State government has warned its residents against flouting precautionary measures.

The government vowed to prosecute anyone, especially motor parks’ workers among others, who flouted the measures put in place towards curtailing any possible outbreak of the disease in the state.

This came as the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration has given residential buildings that do not have functional toilets, a six-month grace to put such in place “or be ready to face the wrath of the law.”

These were contained in a statement issued by the special adviser to the governor on media and strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Akinmade said the measures became exigent in view of the recently reported cholera outbreak in 30 states of the federation, which included the neighbouring Lagos State and bearing in mind that people will be in the mood of celebrating the 2024 edition of Eid-el-Kabir festival.

He said 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”.

The media aide disclosed that the state’s Ministry of Environment had been put on red alert to activate all its machineries to ensure strict compliance with all the measures, stressing that “violators would be made to face the wrath of law accordingly,”