The Lagos State Government on Sunday reiterated its commitment to continue to take the sanitation advocacy campaign round the state until residents imbibe the culture of good environmental sanitation and hygienical practices.
Addressing traders and residents at Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro Mushin during the community-based Sanitation Exercise/Sensitisation, 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.
Rotimi-Akodu, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji and Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite and Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, had earlier engaged in cleaning the drainage on Agege Motor Road by desilting it and was immediately carted away a waste truck.
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.
Addressing the traders further 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 evacuate the heaps of refuse immediately.
In his words, “As we all know all forms of diseases are spread through contaminated water and food that are 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 and not only on Thursdays”.
He averred that the community sanitation advocacy is a continuous exercise that will move across the 57 LG/LCDAs as well as public spaces and markets amongst others with the aim of sustainable good sanitation practices amongst the people.
The Special Adviser said the state is embarking on this advocacy campaign to ensure that the citizens voluntarily embrace the culture continuity, adding that if there is no positive change Government may consider a reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercises.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji 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.
Hajia, therefore, charged all residents to take care of their environment by cleaning it always and ensuring to whistleblow on anyone engaging in unsanitary behaviours as the government cannot be everywhere.
The Managing Director of 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 always and bear in mind the importance of good sanitation practices in the state, the exercise would improve the economic activities across the metropolis.
Areas visited include Agege Motor Road, Alamatu Market, Idi-Oro, Labinjo Street, Adeyanju Street and Makinde Street all in the Mushin Local Government Area.
