Stakeholders call for reintroduction of sanitation officers

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Stakeholders in the environmental sector, have called for the re-introduction of environmental sanitation officers in rural areas.

The experts’ reiterated that,there is a need for sound recommendation of environmental health improvement in the country .

“this will go a long way to robust framework for the improvement of environmental health in the society”.

The Chairman  House Committee on Environment, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, the rural areas are more prone to environmental diseases,illnesses and all kind of communicable disease as they lack environmental amenities to handle those situations.

Ekweremadu made the made this known, at the first National Summit  on Environmental health held recently in Abuja.

He is there is a need to revisit and improved upon the ancient practice of environmental sanitation practice particularly in our villages.

“We have look round for a long time and have not seen their works around our communities”.

“Most of our environmental problems are in the villages, those in the urban centers are educated and they can read and keep good hygiene”.

“ we want you to collaborate with traditional rulers in various districts and kingdoms at all levels.

“massive sensitization campaign  should be put in place for the  villagers to enable them understanding environmental hazard and implementations before enforcement of environmental laws”,he said .

Speaking in his keynote address,Minister of Environment Dr. Mohammad Abubakar,said  the environmental health sub sector  is globally acclaimed to be a tool for sustainable development.

“Hence Nigeria can not afford to neglect its public and private stakeholders who must come together in partnership to make it work for our National public health to improved”.

“ In the spirit of collaboration and cooperation, the summit  was organized to unlocked the opportunities in Nigeria that inter sectoral collaborations are traditionally not given the desired attention”.

The Minister  noted that, “it is important for all stakeholders and participants to interact,  brainstorm and make sound recommendations to improve environmental health which primary saddled to  fight against diseases.

Earlier, Registrar/CEO, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria,Dr. Yakuba Baba, said the essence of the summit was to strengthen environmental health officers to enable them to address  outbreak of  diseases in the country.

Baba said the federal government is doing  it best at the federal government level and have a lot of practitioners working in different ministries.

“Local government are not longer recruiting environmental professionals and  even the state governors .

“It is important for them to know that employing them is key, because they will work in fighting disease in those environment”,the Registrar emphasized.