Determined to ensure the health of its residents, the Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State has carried out environmental sensitisation programme which will guarantee environmental cleanliness in the area, which, in turn, will engender good health for the citizens.
During the programme, the Executive Secretary of the council, Mr. Adekunle Dally-Adeokun called on the residents to co-operate with the council in its efforts to rid the area of waste, so as to promote healthy environment.
He spoke during the environmental sanitation exercise held at the council headquarter recently, even as he said he would work towards ensuring that residents of various communities have attitudinal change on the environment.
Represented by his wife, Layide, he expressed the council’s discontent over the nonchalant attitudes of some of the residents who have formed the habit of dumping domestic wastes indiscriminately.
Stressing that unfriendly habit towards the environment could cause serious health hazards to the people, Mr Dally-Adeokun said such unhealthy trend could hamper the people’s productivity, which invariably could affect the well-being of their families and the entire community.
“A time has come in history when we must shape our actions with a more prudent care for the environment. Through ignorance or indifference, we can do massive and irreversible harm to the earthly environment on which our lives and well-being depend. Conversely, through fuller knowledge and wiser actions, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better life in keeping with human needs and hopes,” Mr. Dally-Adeokun said.
He revealed that the council plans to enlighten the residents of communities within the council area on the importance of clean environment through radio and television jingles.
The Deputy Executive Secretary, Prince Oluranti Olufon and other officials of the council participated in the exercise.
Sanitation tools such as shovels, brooms, rakes and waste disposal nylons were distributed to some residents to encourage them to keep their environments clean.
Mr Dally-Adeokun advised residents to dispose of their domestic wastes properly, even as he warned against blocking drainage channels by dumping garbage in them. This, he said, triggers health problems as well as flooding.
Linking poverty with the environment, Dally-Adeokun said “environmental pundits have raised an alarm that our environment is constantly under threats and evidences show that it equally has numerous problems affecting it. They reeled off these problems to include pollution, acid rain, global warning, destruction of rainforests and other wild habitats, the decline and extinction of thousands of species of animals and plants. This, invariably will lead to poverty and hunger since some of these animals and plants are sources of livelihood for people. If their assertion is unquestionable, then there is a strong link between poverty and environment.”
Also speaking, Prince Olufon said the council was worried by some residents’ non-compliance to proper waste disposal system, even as he expressed the council’s concern over indiscriminate dumping of garbage in water channels by some residents which could have devastating effects on the residents.
He therefore urged members of various communities to ensure clean environment, saying dirty environment poses threat to the health of the citizens.
The Head of Environmental Services and Waste Management Unit, Mr. Kolawale Ajanaku said the people are always enlightened on what are expected of them in terms of keeping the environment clean.
Meanwhile, the council officials inspected some streets such as Obafemi Awolowo, Seriki Aro, Alariogun ,Shanu and Oluwole Philips Avenue, among others to during the exercise.
