The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cleanliness

  • RCCG takes cleanliness to streets

    The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Lagos Province yesterday took cleanliness to the streets of Babs Ogunwole and Amusan in Abule-Egba in its determination to keep Lagos clean.

    The project was part of the province’s Christian Social Responsibilities agenda in the community.

    Speaking on the importance of cleanliness in the community, Pastor Oluranti Abayomi, who is the Assistant Pastor in-charge of Province 17 CSR, said: “We told our neighbours to bring out their wastes so that we can help clear them.

    “We can say the project is divine because cleanliness is next to godliness. Since God is Holy, He wants everything around him to be clean.

    “This inspired us to get into the act of cleanliness. It is the mandate of the church for us to be involved in that social responsibility.”

    He stated that it was the first time the church was getting involved in massive environmental sanitation.

    Also speaking at the sanitation exercise with officials of the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) and Visionscape in attendance, Assistant Pastor Orji Sunday, who is the coordinator of sanitation exercise for Province 17, expressed readiness to partner with the Lagos State Government for effective elimination of waste disposed indiscriminately.

    He said that the cleaning exercise tagged ‘clear the waste’ is aimed at encouraging residents of the street to always take care of their environment because Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

    His words: “We decided to clean the entire Babs Ogunwole and Amusan streets. The lesson is clear, to be godly, we need to be clean. Without holiness no man can see God. We need to be clean in and out.”

  • Council preaches cleanliness

    Worried by the filthy environment which could cause health problems for the residents, the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has begun the clearing of major streets of junks, kiosks and shanties. The exercise, it said, would also enhance smooth vehicular movement.

    Speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of the council, Comrade Kamal O. Salau-Bashua insisted that illegal structures, dumping of refuse in drainage and canals and such habit that can degenerate the environment would not be condoned.

    Kamal said residents must be prepared to adopt a cleaner and more environment-friendly attitude in line with the Cleaner Lagos Initiative. The council chief, who sensitised the residents to the health hazards associated with living in such deplorable environment, said such situation can cause epidemic if government did not take urgent steps to better such horrible condition.

    Leading other environmental officers of the council in the exercise, Salau-Bashua said apart from demolishing illegal structures, the council will also clear drainage and canals to avoid unnecessary erosion menace.

    Highlight of the exercise was the instant carting away of demolished debris and refuse which members of the Community Development Association (CDA), community leaders and officials of the state environmental task force on the environment participated.

    Appreciating the efforts of the council to ensure cleaner environment for the residents, Alhaji Moruf Babatunde Oshodi (Chairman, Epetedo Indigenes’ Association) said the exercise was very commendable and timely, especially as it coincides with the ongoing 155th anniversary celebrations of the Epetedo Community.

    Expressing his gratitude to the Epetedo Community for creating a unifying platform that will enhance the well-being of the council and its residents, the council chief implored other communities to emulate the exemplary initiative of Epetedo community, promising that the exercise will be a continuous one.

  • Foundation enlightens children on cleanliness

    The founder of Prince Children Foundation, Segun Fadayiro, has stressed the need to inculcate in children the habit of cleanliness and proper integration into the society to save the environment and unite the nation.

    Fadayiro, during the Sallah edition of the foundation’s sanitation and empowerment programme in Lagos, said Nigerians needed to take an interest in the welfare of other children around them apart from their biological children and relatives to create harmony.

    Prince Children Foundation is an NGO that deals with the empowerment of children.

    He said the organisation, which began two years ago, is aimed at teaching children the virtues of cleanliness and proper ways of disposing refuse to address issues affecting the environment.

    Fadayiro said the foundation was concerned with the unity of the children, hence bringing them from various classes together to interact in training and social programmes aimed at removing class and ethnic differences.

    He solicited support for programmes that unite children of all classes and ethnic groups, to further strengthen the nation’s unity while tackling problems of environmental degradation and pollution.

    He said they usually went round neighbourhoods to attract children of all ages to be part of the organisation’s programmes.

    “We go round various neighbourhoods, play music to attract children to join us then we teach them practical cleanliness by making them clean their surroundings, teach them how to properly dispose refuse while we teach other skills not leaving out the social aspect, we teach them to dance.

    “We educate and entertain them and we want more people to join us and support us because we have funding constraints.

    “Everybody wants to take care of their own children and not others; people should give more to the welfare and happiness of other children.

    “None of these children can throw refuse into drains or on the road or anyhow because of this training” he said.

    He said no less than 250 children participated in the Sallah edition, adding that the foundation has empowered and brought happiness to thousands of children in Ojodu, Anthony Village and Egbeda, and was spreading its campaign to other communities in Lagos.

    “Soon, we will have a database of participating children so that we can follow up on their progress,” he said.

    Miss Adepeju Adebayo, one of the coordinators,  said children were admitted into the club from six months to 20 years of age, to begin impacting positive values of cleanliness, sharing joy and togetherness in them early.

    “We want children to learn equality and that is why we sweep the streets together and learn all our skills in unity not minding anybody’s social status,” she said.

    She said the foundation usually held programmes for children after festive periods, adding that the programme was holding a week after Sallah so more children could participate.

    “We are trying to empower them in different skills and today we are learning how to make menthelated spirits and cleansers,” Adebayo said.

    Miss Colabo Falebo, a nine-year-old member of the club, said she would use her new skill to help people in her neighbourhood.

    “We learnt how to make spirit and cleanser, we also learnt how to use mini first aid box.

    “Now I can help people who have small wounds and I will advise people around me to use cleanser after shaving,” she said.

    Also, Miss Joy Akinwunmi, a two-year-old member of the club,  explained what she was doing in her own way “they are teaching everybody and I am dancing”.

    Mrs. Esther Irabor, one of the skills instructors, said the ability of children should not be underestimated as she noted that they would use the lessons learnt to impact on the larger society.

    The children swept Oluwole Oladejo Street in Ojodu, after which they gathered round an instructor to mix re-agents for the skills they were being taught.

  • Ogun govt seeks support of market leaders on cleanliness

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has sought the support of residents, especially market men and women, in its drive to salvage the state from environmental degradation.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, at the foundation laying of Olofinmoyin Ultra-Modern Market in Sango Ota, a suburb of the state, the governor expressed disappointment with how traders were unmindful of keeping where they make their daily bread neat, adding that this could expose them to diseases.

    Amosun warned against the filling of the highway with refuses. He said the government would not condone such attitude, saying any market found unclean and with refuse would be closed. ‘’Cleanliness is holiness,’’ he said.

    Ojuko said the governor’s plan was to finish the projects he embarked on, including rehabilitation of roads, and construction of bridges before the end of his tenure. He urged the residents to key into the government’s development plan to make the state a better place to live in.  He noted that development comes with sacrifices, saying maximum sacrifice needed to be paid for the overall development.

    “An environment that is not clean will encourage all sorts of unscrupulous elements, to guide against this; leaders of each market should expedite actions and prevail on their members to imbibe the culture of cleanliness. We should not wait for an epidemic to happen before we start doing the right thing,” the Commissioner added.

    He appealed to the contractors handling the construction to use quality materials and to speed up the work to deliver on schedule.

    Ado/Odo Ota Local Government Chairman, Prince Oladele Adeniji,  appealed to the transport union leaders to warn their members against obstructing the highway by picking and dropping of passengers on the roads, this hinders the free-flow of traffic.

    He also warned street traders against blocking the highway with their goods; and that this made it difficult for vehicles to find its way in case of brake failure.

    Prince Adeniji sought collaboration between market and the union leaders on how the market and garages ‘environment clean and neat.

    The contractor, Alhaji Rufai Alao, an engineer, thanked the government for awarding the contract to him, pledging to use quality materials and deliver the job within the stipulated time.

  • Local govt chief preaches cleanliness to curb Ebola

    Local govt chief preaches cleanliness to curb Ebola

    Residents of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State have been advised to imbibe cleanliness to prevent the spread of Ebola.

    The Council Chairman, Olumuyiwa Oloro, said at a parley with stakeholders warned that Ebola thrivers in an unclean environment.

    He distributed fliers to the stakeholders, urging them to take the campaign to the grassroots.

    Oloro said the council’s environmental health officials would ensure that residents abide by rules for healthy living.

    “I make bold to say that our council was the first to flag off the campaign against Ebola disease. However, before it became an issue, we had never shirked our bounden duty to keep our people alive to the fact that they must live clean and maintain a filth-free environment. This we shall continue to do,” Oloro said.

    The council chief urged residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse and defaecation in public places.

    He said every member of the council would monitor residents’ to ensure their compliance with sanitation rules, especially during the state’s monthly exercise.

  • Agency sensitises residents on cleanliness

    Agency sensitises residents on cleanliness

    The National Orientation Agency in Ebonyi State has ended a sensitisation a one-day sensitisation programme tagged: “Do The Right Thing: Avoid Dirt, Be Clean” with a call on the residents to stop all harmful environmental practices that usually make them vulnerable to diseases.

    The programme which also captured the unveiling of a new waste bin , known as the World Waste Bin (WWB), attracted all the environmental stakeholders in the state- NESREA, EBSEPA, state and federal ministries of environment and indeed the residents of Abakaliki Local Government Area to the council headquarters at Nkaliki.

    Addressing his audience during the programme, the Director-General of National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, said that it was to arouse the consciousness of Nigerians to the importance of clean environment that his office launched an environmental friendly initiative called “Do The Right Thing: Avoid Dirt, Be Clean” late last year, with an intension of extending it to all communities in the 774 local government areas of the country in over 500 languages on a sustainable basis.

    Omeri who was represented by the Deputy Director, Orientation and Peace Education Department, Mr George Njoku, explained that “Do the Right Thing, Avoid Dirt, Be clean is a community-based environmental orientation and care project initiative aimed at achieving environmental care through community mobilisation, hinting that the orientation campaign was geared towards finding solution to many challenges affecting the environment due to the poor attitude of Nigerians towards environmental sanitation”.

    He maintained that the initiative was also intended to help the country attain environmental sustainability by tackling the poor attitude of Nigerians towards their environments which has caused environmental degradation and made most people vulnerable to various diseases.

    The NOA DG consequently introduced to the audience a new waste disposal bin called “Word Waste Bin” (WWB), which he explained enables users to properly collect, manage and dispose their residential and institutional refuse and enjoined all to rise up  and join the fight for environmental sustainability, which he said  is a collective responsibility.

    Reiterating the points already made by the Director-General, the Ebonyi State Director of the agency, Dr. Emma Abah, welcomed the guests to the programme and reminded them that the National Orientation Agency, amongst other constitutional responsibilities, has been mandated by the president to challenge the current generation of Nigerians to ensure that they establish and maintain a very healthy environment.

    He insisted that  such was the reason the agency is collaborating with Ebonyi State government, with support from Oskanag Nigeria Limited to bring forth this national assignment aimed at educating the citizenry on how to efficiently manage their waste products, through the use of the Word Waste Bin (WWB).

    Dr Abah expatiated on the make-up of the bin saying, “Word Waste Bin is an interactive waste bin designed to communicate with its users and mobilise them towards a knowledge-based environmental care.  It is a communication tool with elements that provide consistent regular environmental orientation and re-orientation for communities that need to know about becoming eco-friendly.

    “WWB has three compartments for bottles, cans, nylons and other wastes respectively for the purpose of recycling, with information pouches at the sides containing a publication called information matters. The headboard of the WWB has two communication tools; pictures and words. The pictures are of dirty and clean environments, giving the option of choice. The words which will be captured in the indigenous language of community, “Do the Right Thing; Avoid Dirt; Be Clean” are a charge to people to be environmentally friendly and responsible.”

    The state director seized the opportunity to appeal for the following from Ebonyi State government: approval of the acquisition and use of Word Waste Bin in all the public and private institutions in the state; support/approval of a joint NOA/EBSEPA enlightenment campaign on effective waste management; and support/approval of the use of NOA Community Support Brigade (CSB) as marshals that will regularly monitor the waste bins so as to ensure its effective and efficient usage of the bin.

    He further thanked the state Ministry of Environment, National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA), EBSEPA, Oskanag Nigeria Limited, Innoson Industrial Limited, M & J Nig. Ltd, JEZCO Oil Nig. Ltd, Onitsha South Mass Transit, EBOTRANS Nig. Ltd, Mr Biggs fast foods, Crunches Fried Chicken Ltd, among others, for their partnership and support and urged all to put hand on deck to ensure the actualisation of the lofty dream.

    In his words, “Just like every other national task, the fight for environmental sustainability is a collective fight. Although there are bodies primarily assigned to monitor and supervise environmental activities, their efforts will always come to naught if, we, at individual and family levels, refuse to appreciate their efforts by imbibing the tenets of environmental management.”

  • NBL takes campaign on cleanliness to host community

    NBL takes campaign on cleanliness to host community

    As part of the company’s commitment to promote a clean and hygienic brewing environment, staff and management of Nigerian Breweries, (NB) PLC Aba, Abia State have embarked on a one day hygienic sensitisation exercise in its host community.

    The brewery manager, Mr. Ukeje Udah said that the exercise, with the theme: “Care/Respect for the Environment” is in line with one of the cardinal values of the brewery which ensures that staff and management of the company personally participated in ensuring a clean, greener and friendly environment within the community where their factory was situated.

    Udah, who expressed the willingness and the desire of the company to sustain the campaign however pointed out that it would further take the cooperation of their host community to make the programme a success.

    The Commissioner for Environment Chinwe Nwanganga, who was represented by a permanent secretary in the ministry, Elder Okechukwu Aguwa described the state governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji as an environmental conscious governor thanked NB PLC for thinking about the hygiene of its workforce and the cleanliness of the host community where it brews its products.

    According to Aguwa, Abia State government and the Ministry of Environment was going to partner with NB PLC to make sure that the aim of the project was not defeated and therefore called for the sustainability of the programme.

    The permanent secretary while urging other private organisations in the state to emulate the positive steps taken by NB, expressed hope that impact of programme will have a trickledown effect on the entire commercial city.

    The General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, attributed the programme to the outcome of a familiarisation tour to private and corporate organizations embarked by his agency.

    According to the ASEPA GM, the need for a greener and healthier environment cannot be over emphasized, adding that his agency was not going to relent in its effort to make Aba a cleaner commercial city.

    He described the NB PLC’s action as a wakeup call to individual and corporate organizations operating in Aba and urged them to see waste management in and within their offices/factories as a collective responsibility.

    Ikpeazu said that his agency was working out modalities to improve on waste management system in Aba, calling Aba residents to always make use of the waste buckets at designated points and avoid dumping refuse on the main road.