As a way of keeping the environment clean and avoiding cholera in Osun, New Era Lions Club District 404 B2 on Thursday, donated a big metal waste bin to Oluode market in Osogbo, the state capital.
The club also sensitise market women on the need to keep their environment clean and stay healthy to guide them against the deadly cholera disease.
Speaking during the handing over of the waste bin, the President of New Era Lions Club, Lion Busola Ogundiya, urged the state government to make provisions for where market people can dump their refuse and make sure the refused are evacuated frequently.
Lion Ogundiya who noted that the market leaders were the ones that demanded a place to dump their refuse, urged the market women to always keep their environment clean.
She said, “We are here today to donate this waste bin to manage the refuse that we have in Oluode market. Before coming, we met with the market heads on need assessment and it was then that they told us that as big as the market is, they don’t have where to drop their refuse.
“We know the state government cannot do it alone but we will still admonish them to keep ringing it in the hears of our people that dumping of refuse, either in the gutter or the canal is very wrong. They should provide as many places and waste bins as possible where people can drop their waste and make sure the waste management goes regularly to pick it up.
“Market is next to mouth. It is where we buy what we eat and sometimes, we buy things there and drop them in our mouths. So, we want the market people to always keep their environment clean.
“We’ve already sensitised the people on the need to keep their places clean and live healthy to avoid cholera.”
In his admonition, the 2nd Vice District Governor, Lion Oluomo Sunday Akere, appealed to the market women to use the facility in a way that would not discourage the waste management officials from doing their work.
According to him, “In Lions Club, we have our areas of focus which include, Environment and our Lions year starts every first of July. For this month, our activity globally is on the environment and we decided after the need assessment to bring this big waste bin here.
“The market women should not allow people to misuse the facility. They should ensure that they pack their waste in a way that will not discourage the waste management officials from picking the refuse.”
Also, speaking, the Director, Environmental Management and Sanitation, Osun Waste Management Agency, Mr. Peter Aleshinloye, promised the market women that his officers would be on ground to pick the refuse regularly.
He said, “We thank God for the presence of this organisation and their partnership with the Osun State Government in making sure that our cities are clean.
“We have been here since morning, joining them to sensitise members of the market about imbibing the culture of cleanliness. We have assured them that our vehicles will be coming to evacuate the dirt on a weekly basis.”
The head of the market (Iyaloja), Sidikatu Lateef, in her words of appreciation, said, “On behalf of the market women, I want to appreciate the Lions Club for this gesture and I’m urging my people to make judicious use of the waste bin.”
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