January 30, 2016 – Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Adebule today lamented high level of environmental pollution and degradation in some parts of the state, noting that the habit could result in epidemic, following outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.
Adebule who stated this during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Apapa-Iganmu expressed grave concern over the dirty nature of the environment.
The Deputy Governor who was visibly disturbed by the indifference exhibited by some residents to their environment, especially in some areas under Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area, enjoined the people to be wary of the dangers of unhygienic environment.
“Quite frankly, I am not very pleased with what i saw, a situation where street sweepers would be the ones sweeping the front of people’s houses, it is unheard of that some of our people just sit back watching us going round, some of them were even sleeping, they need to realize that a clean environment is a healthy environment suitable for habitation, so they need to change their attitude and own their environment.
Adebule stressed that government would stop at nothing to ensure continued sensitization of the people. She also hinted that health and environment officials would soon be deployed to the areas to educate and engage them in seeing the importance of clean environment.
“Our health officials will go back there and not only that; the Ministry of Environment will also have to go back there and sensitise the people but again, it’s about attitudinal change,” she affirmed.
The residents in the course of interacting with the Deputy Governor noted that they had kick-started efforts to eradicate rats from their surroundings in the wake of the lassa fever outbreak.
