The Federal Ministry of Environment has launched a sanitation and sensitization campaign in Kuchigoro Community, located in Nigeria’s urban federal capital territory, to address issues of flooding and blockage of waterways, to prevent environmental diseases caused by indiscriminate waste disposal.
The sanitation and sensitization exercise was held on Saturday in Abuja.
The densely populated Kuchigoro Community has experienced a decline in environmental conditions due to various human activities, including open dumping of waste, pollution, and open defecation.
During the sanitation and sensitization exercise, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusufu, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, represented by Usman Bokani M, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, emphasized the importance of raising awareness among community members regarding responsible waste management.
He stressed that indiscriminate waste disposal has negative consequences for the environment and highlighted the need for designated waste disposal areas.
“Indiscriminate disposal of waste is a very bad habit in the environment, there should be a designated area where waste should be dumped, but the attitude we have, mostly when we get our waste, what we do is that we find available space and just dumped the waste there, meanwhile the wastes block the drainages, clogging drains, during the rainy seasons, that’s why we have issues of flooding and we also have epidemics like diseases, cholera, asthma and all that.” he said.
The District Head of Kuchigoro Community, Mallam Umar Dogo, expressed gratitude for the ministry’s intervention, stating that the community and local government would always appreciate the support.
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He pledged to spread the message of sanitation and cleanliness to other communities, emphasizing the vital role of sanitation for overall well-being.
The World Health Organization (WHO) country representative, Mr. Edwin Isotu, highlighted the link between a clean environment and good health. Emphasizing the need for a clean and waste-free environment to prevent the spread of diseases, he emphasized the role of the community in promoting health and hygiene practices.
Attah Benson, the National Coordinator of the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), emphasized the importance of proper waste management, including waste segregation and the use of toilet facilities, to maintain a clean environment.
Dr. Olayinka Farouk, the Country Director of USAID Breakthrough Actions Nigeria, discussed the role of behavior change in waste management and disease prevention.
He emphasized simple practices such as handwashing and proper food handling as essential for maintaining a clean environment and preventing diseases like cholera and diarrhea.
The campaign encourages communities to collaborate in promoting cleanliness and hygiene, emphasizing that a collective effort is crucial for community-wide health and well-being.
Headline suggestion: “Federal Ministry of Environment Launches Sanitation Campaign in Abuja’s Kuchigoro Community to Combat Waste Pollution”
