Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nasarawa State government and key stakeholders have launched a sanitation campaign in Lafia, urging the residents to maintain cleanliness to prevent diseases.
The sensitisation campaign in Lafia, Nasarawa State, is part of the activities planned to commemorate the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD).
The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Adam Kambari, who spearheaded the initiative at Lafia Modern Market and Ungwan Wajen Lalle, charged market women, traders and other residents to prioritise market cleanliness and environmental protection.
Represented by director II, Pollution Control and Environmental Health (PC&EH), Mrs Omotunde Adeola, said “cleanliness is next to godliness” and called on the women, in particular, to keep their surroundings clean, noting that “We cannot be productive, if we neglect environmental hygiene.”
Kambari highlighted the relevance of this year’s theme, “Safe Sanitation and Hygiene for Disease Prevention,” and called on stakeholders to sustain public sensitisation efforts on sanitation practices in their communities.
The Nasarawa State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources commissioner, Dr Margaret Itaki Elayo, urged residents to keep their environments clean, stressing that good hygiene practices can significantly reduce the risk of diseases like cholera and malaria.
The commissioner, represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Alhaji Hussaini Usman Babayayi, warned that enforcement teams will henceforth strictly enforce sanitation standards in markets and communities, ensuring compliance.
For his part, the general manager of the Nasarawa State Environmental Protection Agency (NASEPA), Alhaji Yusuf Illiya Adela, advised residents to install toilet facilities in their homes, practice hand washing, and participate in the monthly sanitation exercise to prevent disease outbreaks.
The state’s ACReSAL project coordinator, Mr Elias Napoleon, also pleaded with women and children to prioritise cleanliness and spread the message to others in the community.
Dakaci of Angwan Wajen Lalle community in Lafia metropolis, Baba Saidu, expressed gratitude for the initiative but appealed for government assistance in addressing the persistent erosion problem in the area.
The climax of the activities line-up will be the commemoration of the event today, Thursday, July 17th, 2025, in Lafia, Nassarawa State, North Central zone.
June 28th is chosen every year to mark National Environmental Sanitation Day, which promotes environmental cleanliness and disease prevention.
