₦airaland Forum

As Nigeria prepares to mark the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD), the federal government has urged states that have not yet reinstated the monthly environmental sanitation (clean-up) exercise to do so.

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, made the call during a briefing on the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day commemoration with the theme: “Safe Sanitation and Hygiene for Disease Prevention”.

He said the exercise is crucial in preventing sanitation-related diseases and fostering a sense of community responsibility.



The National Environmental Sanitation Day is usually marked every 28th June to raise awareness on issues of sanitation.


The minister represented by the Director Pollution and Environmental Health, at the ministry, Engr Dr Bahijjahtu Abubakae, said this year’s theme goes a step further than business as usual by emphasising not just the provision of sanitation facilities, but also the importance of managing them safely to prevent disease.

Lawal said sanitation related diseases cause morbidity and deaths each year, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

“A large number of children die every year due to sanitation and hygiene related diseases, and more than 3.5 million children suffer from diarrheal diseases in Nigeria. Children who are less than five years old are more prone to such diseases. These diseases can have significant economic impacts on individuals, families, and communities, including lost productivity, medical expenses, and reduced economic opportunities.”

He further said poor sanitation can also lead to contamination of water sources, soil, and air, leading to long-term environmental degradation.

The minister also noted that poor environmental sanitation is responsible for occurrence of significant percentage of preventable communicable diseases particularly in developing countries including Nigeria.

The minister said Sanitation is a fundamental human right, and access to safe sanitation is essential for human dignity, health, and well-being but unfortunately, many communities in the country still lack access to basic sanitation facilities, putting them at risk of waterborne diseases and other health hazards.


While emphasizing the Ministry commitment to improving sanitation and hygiene practices across the country, the minister said the Federal Ministry of Environment has made several efforts towards the delivery of sanitation and hygiene mandates to the Nigerian citizenry.

treesun:
https://dailytrust.com/fg-asks-states-to-reinstate-monthly-sanitation-exercise-to-prevent-diseases/

LagosOrigin:
All the few drainages in Lagos are blocked with water plastic bottles and nylon which causes heavy floods and the governor of Lagos isn't doing anything about it.

latiephwald:
If governor start demolition of buildings around the drainage, you'll start calling him names. If you are in Lagos, you'll see that lots of drainage has been cleared. Don't tag me APC cuz I'm not a political person. I only talk what I see.

treesun:
https://dailytrust.com/fg-asks-states-to-reinstate-monthly-sanitation-exercise-to-prevent-diseases/

Felicox:
This for me is a very unwelcomed news. It shows that we are still thinking backwards. This is an area that could create thousands of real job's that will employ people and further boost the economy, but our government would rather go back to this backward idea of shutting down businesses and restricting movements in the name of sanitation. The government should create a robust environmental clean up arm, employ people, and pay them through reasonable taxation of businesses. I'm sure the business owners would definitely be happier to pay a token, than to be asked to shut down their businesses. Besides most businesses are already illegally making such payments to louts, all the government has to do is to create an effective channel of payments and monitoring.

dollytino4real:
Rivers state na the worst o! Let law be pass against those aboki wen they scatter dustbin 4 road everywhere in the name of scavenging

dollytino4real:
Rivers state na the worst o! Let law be pass against those aboki wen they scatter dustbin 4 road everywhere in the name of scavenging

treesun:
https://dailytrust.com/fg-asks-states-to-reinstate-monthly-sanitation-exercise-to-prevent-diseases/

Alfred200825:
Na only Military fit enforce strict Environmental Sanitation Policy for this country