The Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN) has hailed its members’ sacrifice in decontaminating the environment against the dreaded COVID-19 virus in the country.
Mr Olakunle Williams, National President of the association, gave the commendation during its 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Induction/Training on Wednesday in Lagos.
Williams said that members of the association worked tirelessly during the peak of the COVID-19 restrictions, endangering their lives and even some were ostracised at homes, offices and regarded as endangered species.
According to him, PECAN members were in the midst of the heat of decontaminating the environment against the foreign killer virus .
“In reflecting on the past year 2020 ,you will agree with me that it was one of the worst years ever in the history of the world as the year brought about the pandemic aiming at ruining all the facets of the world, including our lives.
“Over three million lives were lost in the pandemic, so many jobs lost , we were introduced to so many unusual patterns of life by working from home.
“At this juncture, I would like to appreciate you for volunteering your lives for the world to live. You didn’t mind death, you went to the battlefield to fight Covid-19 and came out alive.
“You are my heroes and heroines – my PECAN Members! You will accept the fact that we all have reasons to praise God,” Williams said.
The Chairman, Planning Committee of the 2021 PECAN AGM, Mr Olufemi Taiwo, noted that one of the ways to eliminate quacks in the pest control profession was to engage in constant public sensitisation and awareness through the media.
Taiwo called for the enactment of laws to enable fumigator quackery to be punished and prosecuted which he said would go a long way in eradicating quack controllers in the country.
In a good will message, experts urged PECAN to engage in robust media sensitisation to enable Nigerians get in touch with professional pest controllers and neglect quackery.
His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who was represented by Oba Adekunle Adebowale, Agbolu of Agbaje Ife, commended the effort of PECAN in Nigeria.
Ogunwusi said that the people in the inter-land were not aware of PECAN saying that they usually patronise quackery and urged them to come to the inter-land for awareness campaign.
He said that many farmers were in the habit of using dangerous chemicals in preserving their produce and asked them to feel free to request for his assistance for the progress of the association.
Also, the wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu commended the association for the various initiatives and partnerships geared toward the standardisation and promotion of the Pest and Vector Control industry in Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Mojisola Fashola, expressed the need for the association to continue to come up with various initiatives to sanitize the sector in the best interest of all.
“Every necessary will and courage must be mustered to fight quackery in Pest and Vector Management.
” We cannot afford to be subjected to another outbreak of public health emergency, and this eloquently supports the need for all hands to be on deck to stamp out quackery in the country,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor’s wife said that the state government was deploying various initiatives and commitment to enhance health care delivery in line with its “THEMES” Agenda.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Ayobami, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Environmental healthOffice, Mr Ojo Emmanuel, urged the association not to relent in its effort at eradicating quacks from their profession.
The General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, pleaded with PECAN to carry out more awareness activities to make Nigerians patronise professional pet and vector controllers.
The Vice Chancellor, Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Rotimi Ogidan, who was represented by Prof. Olufemi Peters, pledged to collaborate with PECAN by using his institution in training more PECAN operators to become professionals.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Abiola Olusanya, who was represented by Dr Michael Olufemi, urged PECAN to always differentiate between chemicals used for both land and animals.
The Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by Dr Idiat Mudasir, said that NAFDAC would collaborate with PECAN for better identification of their members.
Also, the Director-General of Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine, Dr Vincent Izegbe, who was represented by Dr Dayo Folorunsho, urged PECAN to improve on public enlightenment through the media outlets to enable the public identify professionals among them.
