Kwara Gong 1st August, 2017
As part of measures to enhance the well-being of residents of Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, the TIC Chairperson of the Council Hajia Funmi Salahu has urged the people to ensure that their surroundings are neat at all times. This, she said, would prevent them from being affected by some life-threatening environmental hazards, even as she added that clean environment would ensure their good health.
Hajia Salahu spoke with the press while inspecting the extent of compliance by residents of the area to the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held last Saturday. She appealed to the residents to co-operate with the council in its efforts to rid the area of filth and garbage, so as to promote healthy environment.
The Council boss also pledged to work towards ensuring that residents of various communities have attitudinal change on the environment.
She noted that “clean environment translates to having access to safe water, low risks to health from micro-organisms proliferating in the environment as well as the physical cleanliness of the individuals. It also entails a conscious attitudinal change towards safe disposal of generated domestic wastes.
“Our failure to adequately manage the environment contributes enormously to the burden of health care related infections; a burden of disease that we know can be substantially reduced to the benefit of both the affected persons and the health care system itself.”
“We should endeavour to take cognizance of the environmental hazards like flooding which is at the moment ravaging about 20 states of the federation, by preventing it through evacuation of refuse from drainages and gutters.
Hajia Funmi Salahu maintained that sustainable development evolves through a realisation that there is a great relationship between the environment and the economy; where the environment is poorly maintained, there is the likelihood that there would be extreme poverty. Our economy is facing towering challenges that call for bold, constructive ideas on how our environment can best be taken care of.
“Having a clean environment has many benefits. These benefits are long-lasting and guide us to a healthy living. These include prevention of diseases such as cholera, malaria and also tetanus,” she added.
She, however, expressed regret that some residents, almost always have disregard for proper waste disposal system, even as she said they indiscriminately dump garbage in water channels, an action she said could result in some discomforting health challenges for the residents.
‘’We are appealing to residents to strictly observe environmental sanitation exercise. The residents should co-operate with the council to rid the council area of dirt by removing garbage thrown in the drainage system; especially in front their houses.”
The TIC Chairperson who was in company of council members and environmental officials inspected different parts of the local government during the exercise.
