Environment
‘Employ More Environmental Health Officers’
Environmental Health Officer, Satellite Town Development Agency of FCT, Mr Aziz Olorunnisola, has called for employment of more health officers to ensure clean environment in the country.
Olorunnisola, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja recently, said that the recruitment of more hands would further improve the performance of the agency on environmental issues.
“There are challenges as people have not been coming to this profession as Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) because by the data of EHOs, they are telling us in the whole country we don’t have up to 8,000.
“If the government can do more in terms of sanitation and environmental health officer, it will go a long way. Like in the olden days, the population was not up to 170 million as we have today.
“In those days we had more environmental health officers working in this country. We had more of them working in the states, but today, government is trying its best, but in the aspect of recruitment to the profession, more needed to be done,” he said.
He added that the new intakes would encourage sensitisation of the citizenry on good sanitation and ensure a tidy environment for all citizens.
“I was working before at Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), I was the officer in charge of the Central Business District.
“Do you know what it will take me to take my team to cover the whole area? Even though in six months you may not be able to go to a particular place.
“But if we can have more EHOs, one of their core primary assignments is to go out and educate and sensitise people, it will go a long way to change people’s habit towards the environment.”
Olorunnisola noted that the nation’s environmental health officers had some limitations but these limitations should not debar them from performing their duties.
He suggested that the EHOs should be empowered to charge environmental violators to court so as to ensure cleanliness of the environment.
“You have limitations; you have the right to charge someone to court which is the court of limited jurisdiction such as the mobile courts, magistrate courts and customary courts.
“But when the case gets to the high court level, then the intervention of a lawyer is needed even at that, we need more hands to help tackle some of these challenges.
“So we have shortage of personnel but if the government can do more in this area, it is going to help toward promoting environmental standard,’’ he said.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday, launched an awareness campaign, aimed at educating residents on the increasing impact of climate change.
The campaign also seeks to enlighten residents on the urgent need for personal and community protection measures.
During the launch in Uyo on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom Director of NOA, Mr Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, said that the campaign aims at enlightening residents, about the changes in weather patterns.
He said that this includes unpredictable rise in temperatures, and how these changes threaten public health across the state.
Mkpoutom noted that the current weather was not harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution, which is harmful to health as it could cause oxidative stress which affects body balance.
“Our environment is changing rapidly, and the effects are evident in the disruptions faced by our communities.
“It is paramount that every citizen of Akwa Ibom understands these changes and take necessary steps to protect themselves, their families, and their livelihoods,” he said.
He appealed to citizens to take the following precautions which include wearing of nose mask, drinking sufficient water, covering of food and water to keep away dust, washing fruits thoroughly before eating, among others.
He directed all NOA structures within the state to engage with local communities through town hall meetings and collaboration.
He also urged engagement with schools and community leaders, to disseminate vital information on early warning signs, as well as safety protocols during extreme weather conditions.
The Chairman of Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Ms Surah Animashaun, has urged traders of Aiyetoro and Oluwo fish markets to consistently ensure a hygienic trading environment.
She urged the traders to maintain cleanliness and observe proper environmental sanitation in the markets.
Animashaun said this during a visit to some of the market areas in Epe on Saturday.
She said that clean markets were critical to public health.According to her, poor sanitation could lead to the outbreak of communicable diseases, especially in fish markets, where waste management must be handled with extra care.
The council chairman urged traders to dispose of refuse appropriately, avoid indiscriminate dumping of waste, and ensure regular cleaning of stalls and surroundings
She noted that environmental hygiene is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone should be involved in this development.
Animashaun also warned that the local government would not hesitate to enforce existing environmental laws, including sanctions against defaulters.
She assured traders of the council’s commitment to providing adequate waste disposal facilities and regular monitoring to sustain a clean and healthy market environment.
The council boss also urged traders to desist from selling by the roadside, so as to avoid accidents, noting that several motor accidents had occurred along the Aiyetoro market area.
“We, therefore, urge traders to stop selling on the roadside,” she said.
President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mrs Margaret Oguntala, has inaugurated the construction of 18 units residential terrace in highbrow Alausa area of Lagos toward bridging the nation’s shelter gap.
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