LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin By Oyebola Owolabi
The Lagos State government yesterday said it will continue with the sanitation advocacy campaigns until residents imbibe good environmental and hygiene practices.
Special Adviser to the governor on the environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, while addressing traders at the Alamutu Market, Idi-Oro, Mushin, said maintaining a clean environment is a must for all residents to keep disease at bay.
He earlier engaged in desilting the drainage on Agege Motor Road while a waste truck carried the dirt away.
The governor’s aide explained that the clean-up is a follow up to Mr. Governor’s pronouncement on community-based sanitation, saying the environment must be clean and food handled hygienically to ensure socio-economic wellbeing of residents.
Rotimi-Akodu also reminded traders that Alamutu market was shut last year due to unsanitary habits. He advised them to regularly clean the market and environs, clear the refuse heaps immediately, and desist from street trading.
He added: “As we all know that all diseases are spread through contaminated water, poorly-made food and poor sanitation habits, such as open defecation, poor waste management among others. As such, our sanitation should be an everyday practice and not only on Thursdays.
“This community sanitation advocacy is a continuous exercise that will move across the 57 LGs/LCDAs as well as public spaces, among others, to spread the message of sustainable sanitation practices among the people.
“The government is doing this to ensure the people voluntarily continue with the culture, and if there are no changes, government may consider reintroducing the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.”
Permanent Secretary (Environmental Services) in the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, 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.
He charged all residents to take charge of their environment by cleaning it always and blowing the whistle when their neighbours engage in unsanitary behaviours as the government cannot be everywhere.
Managing Director of LAWMA Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin noted that the exercise is also to ensure that every house in Lagos owns a waste bin, while he admonished residents to always patronise the PSP operators and not cart pushers.
Areas visited include Agege Motor Road; Alamatu Market, Labinjo Street; Adeyanju Street and Makinde Street all in Mushin Local Government Area.
