LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin By Oyebola Owolabi
Persons who engage in open defecation, particularly in the Berger axis of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, will be prosecuted henceforth, the Lagos State government has said.
Permanent Secretary (Office of Environmental Services) Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Gaji Omobolaji, stated this during an advocacy exercise in the area. Sanitation officers cleaned the feaces which littered the median.
Gaji said the enforcement was to prevent the spread of communicable diseases like cholera and diarrhea. He added that enforcement teams comprising the anti-open defecation squad, Kick against Indiscipline (KAI) and others would begin operation immediately after the advocacy/ sensitisation campaign.
The enforcement teams would work in shifts to make their work more effective, Gaji said.
He added: “It is appalling and shameful to find people defecate openly, especially on the road and medians. These actions are unacceptable and require a lasting solution to totally eradicate the menace. This is why the state has resorted to undertake enforcement and prosecution after this sensitisation exercise.
“Anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law to deter others and ensure the fight against open defecation is sustained.
“We thank the proprietor of the Total Filling Station on the Berger Expressway for donating five toilets free for public use. Another eight-room toilet is fully operational at the Berger bus top garage, and so we urge those in the habit of open defecation to turn a new leaf by patronising these public toilets near them or face the consequences of their action.
“The toilets are not enough, but we plan to build more which will also have their own water treatment plant, and be able to recycle water so that the whole ecosystem is preserved. You will start seeing the implementation soon.
“In winning the war against open defecation, we all must come together and prioritise the use of clean and accessible toilets in communities and public spaces. It is also necessary to have educational programs that raise awareness about the importance of proper sanitation.
“The health implications of open defecation on the economy are enormous; whenever there is a disease outbreak, the government has to divert resources meant for economic growth to combat the spread of diseases.
“Lack of access to clean toilets is a significant challenge to public health and well-being, but I assure you that the government is set to address the fundamental issues that affect the state’s safety and future.”
Gaji thereafter urged all residents to support the government to ensure a cleaner, healthier and sustainable environment by instilling a culture of cleanliness which will be beneficial to present and future generations.
He was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Olawale Musa and other top officials of the ministry.
