Lagos, WaterAID partner to improve hygiene

The team will see to the effective performance of all Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activities aimed at improving hygiene and healthy living in the state, especially in the low-income areas.

Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Tunji Bello, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary (Office of Environmental Service), Omoboaji Gaji, said it was part of efforts at ensuring its residents live a healthy life.

Bello sad the team was raised to also ‘formalise the structured and methodical approach to gaining universal adoption of handwashing and faecal sludge disposal, behaviours that are expected to reduce disease-causing micro-organisms and parasite transmission’.

He added: “The State Planning and Implementation committee (SPIC), drawn from different sectors, will see to the successful monitoring of the programme while also carrying out advocacies at the state and at local government areas.

“The project entails disseminating knowledge and understanding of hygiene practices, as well as their associated health hazards to low-income populations. It is also to raise hygiene awareness among people in the target communities, with a focus on hygiene education for women and girls.

“If sanitation and hygiene are vital, then stakeholders like you, who fight to promote water supply, sanitation and hygiene, are critical. We all need to persuade others because many people today still take hygiene for granted, try to hide it, or have no idea what to do or why hygiene is important. However, if we are to become a healthy and productive society, capable of contributing to the nation’s long-term growth and development, everyone must understand and appreciate how.

“We’ve gathered here today to start a vital programme aimed at promoting and educating the residents of Ikorodu North and Ojodu LCDAs on hygiene. Lagos State government, through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, has been in the campaign for hygiene and public health before today. The ministry has embarked on the review of WASH policy for the State in collaboration with stakeholders to achieve a robust institution and proper institutional arrangement capable of delivering on the goal of access to potable water and sanitation to all in the state.

“The ministry has also embarked on sensitising the people on handwashing and hygiene practices, this is backed up by the provision of handwashing facilities in schools, markets and correctional facilities across the state. We have not accomplished all these in isolation; we have done so with the active engagement of several partners, including federal and local governments as well as WaterAid Nigeria and other development partners…”

The project will be carried out in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria and Kimberly Clark.