By Seun Adams
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Ibrahim Yesufu, has said several efforts have been made by the Ministry, stakeholders and development partners to provide sanitary facilities and services in some part of the country.
However, he regretted that it is yet to be translated into desired improved health indices expressed in the persistent increase in child and infant mortality rate due to sanitation and hygiene related diseases.
The Permanent Secretary made the disclosure this year’s National Environmental Sanitation Day is “Promoting Sustainable Waste Management for a Healthy Environment: Stop Open Dumping”.
He said the theme is apt and timely, as it underscores the necessity for sound structures to be put in place for containment, collection, treatment, re-use/recycle and final disposal of all waste types (Solid, liquid & gaseous) thereby ensuring proper waste management and ending open dumping.
According to him, the National Environmental Sanitation Day Commemoration was established to institutionalize the sound environmental sanitation practice as a lifestyle amongst the populace through massive awareness creation and reward for innovative best practices in environmental sanitation.
The Ministry, he added in collaboration with key stakeholders has been celebrating the NESD since its declaration by Mr. President in 2005 till date explaining that it has promoted behavioural change in sanitation and hygiene practices among the citizenry.
He said: “The provision of safe functional sanitary facilities and services in every premises for the management of waste materials (hazardous and non-hazardous) is a necessity for sustainable waste management.”
“That this will go a long way in ensuring high level of behavioural change with respect to SDG 3, 6, and 7 on good health and well-being, access to clean water and sanitation as well as safe management of sanitation.
“This theme entails the need for everyone everywhere: households, business premises, schools to have sanitary facilities/services which is functional and cost-effective to ensure the protection of our eco-system, aesthetic value of the environment and natural resources; it will also:
“Prevent odour nuisance and further transmission of sanitary related disease. Promote public health and improve the quality of lives of the populace thereby reducing poverty through environmental sustainability.”
According to him, this effort will help prevent pollution of water bodies, air and land for a sustainable eco-system Improve resource recovery, reuse and recycling thereby promoting circular economy in waste management and prevention of blockage of drainages, water pathways and flooding of the communities.
