The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to continue the sanitation advocacy campaign for residents around the state until residents imbibe a culture of good environmental sanitation and hygienic practices.
Addressing market traders and residents at Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro Mushin, during the community-based sanitation exercise and 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, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, and the 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 Mr Governor’s pronouncement on community-based sanitation, saying the environment must be clean and the food handling process must also be hygienic to ensure the socio-economic well-being 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, all forms of diseases are spread through contaminated water and food that are the 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, not only on Thursdays,” he said.
He said community sanitation and advocacy is a continuous exercise that will move across the 57 LGs and LCDAs as well as public spaces and markets, amongst others, with the aim of promoting 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, while also speaking, 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 ensuring they blow the whistle when their neighbours engage in unsanitary behaviours, as the government cannot be everywhere.
The Managing Director, LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, noted that part of the essence of the exercise is to ensure that every house in Lagos owns a waste bin and residents should always patronise the PSP operators and not the cart pushers
He said if all residents keep their environment clean and kept in mind the importance of good sanitation practices in the state, the exercise would improve economic activities across the metropolis.
Areas visited include Agege Motor Road; Alamatu Market, Idi – Oro; Labinjo Street; Adeyanju Street and Makinde Street, all in Mushin Local Government Area.
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