WaterAid, engineers task Makoko community on environmental cleanliness

To mitigate the spread of cholera and other infectious diseases, the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Lagos chapter, in collaboration with WaterAid Nigeria, has advised residents of Aiyetoro, Makoko community, Lagos, to prioritise regular cleaning of their environment, particularly the waterways.

They cautioned the community to shun filthy environment, which makes residents more susceptible to the spread of cholera, a disease plaguing countries across the world.

Leading the call at the launch of a clean-up exercise organised by the two bodies to prevent cholera, enhance environmental sanitation, and clean waterways in the community, Mr Adebayo Alao, Head of Lagos Programme, WaterAid, stressed the importance of hygiene, noting that the initiative is not just a one-time clean-up effort but the beginning of an ongoing sanitation campaign for the residents of Aiyetoro.

According to him, following deliberations on the need for a clean environment, the chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA) of the area will appoint 50 residents as environmental sanitation officers. WaterAid, through the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), will empower these officers to enforce proper sanitation practices within the community.

He assured of the organisation’s commitment to sponsoring innovative solutions that could significantly improve the living conditions of the Aiyetoro community.

Alao said sanitation is “every man’s business” and urged residents to adopt proper waste management practices and avoid disposing of waste in the waterways.
A notable concern raised during the workshop was the lack of toilets in the community, which poses a health risk.

The Chairman of APWEN, Lagos, Atinuke Owolabi, appealed to well-meaning individuals and organisations to support efforts to address the issue. According to her, the initiative was driven by the young engineers of APWEN, Lagos, who advocate for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.

She pledged that APWEN is committed to assisting the community by offering scholarships to girls with a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) following a series of mentorship programmes.

Past chairman of the chapter, Mary Afolayan, also encouraged the residents to sustain a clean community, adding that doing so would encourage the association to provide additional support, such as assisting students who have dropped out of school and empowering individuals with skills to improve their living standards.

The Baale and CDA Chairman of Aiyetoro expressed their gratitude to APWEN for initiating the intervention and stated that they are fully committed to achieving a cleaner community.