LAGOS-An Environmental Health Officer, Mr Cyril Akinyele, has advised Lagos State residents to desist from polluting their environments through open defecation to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases.
Akinyele, who is also the Public Relations Officer, Environmental Health Officers Regulation Council of Nigeria (EHORCON), gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He decried the attitude of some people defecating in open places, saying that such act would expose them to a lot of health hazard.
Akinyele said that the state government should put in place certain measures to educate members of the public on the health benefits of good hygiene.
He advised the government to construct more public toilets in many parts of the state, especially in the residential areas to reduce the spread of communicable diseases.
Akinyele urged the state government to strictly enforce the environmental laws against anyone caught defecating in the public.
“Our concern is to ensure that all those involved in open defecation and the abuse of the environment is taking to court for prosecution,” he said.
According to him, environmental health officers would collaborate with the transport unions in motor parks for the monitoring and enforcement of the state environmental laws.
He said that routine sanitary inspection of the residential areas, market places and motor parks would be carried out by the sanitary officers.
Akinyele advised landlords to provide toilet facilities in their buildings, saying that any landlord that failed to provide the facilities would be sanctioned.
