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Mrs. Abimbola Fashola addressing participants during the one day Seminar on Environmental Advocacy Campaign for the Informal Sector.


Mrs. Abimbola Fashola (M) discussing with some participants during the one day Seminar on Environmental Advocacy Campaign.

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May 14, 2009 - One Day Seminar On Environmental Advocacy Campaign For The Informal Sector

It is my pleasure to welcome you and also thank you for giving your time to attend this very important and crucial one day seminar on Environmental Sanitation Advocacy Campaign.

This seminar is organised in recognition of the need to educate everyone on the need to keep a clean and healthy environment. It is also to ensure that everyone is carried along in the ongoing efforts of the government to make our environment beautiful and more friendly.

Although the number of people living in Lagos has continued to increase compared to the 70’s and 80’s, the major problem is our attitude which the government of His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Governor of Lagos State is asking us to change for the better. Government is showing good examples by the flowers and trees that are being planted to bring back the beauty of Lagos that we used to know, including construction of public toilets, cleaning of canals and drainages, development of other amenities to enhance the quality of life of all Lagosians.

Many of us will recall that the old Lagos we used to know was very clean and beautiful with trees, flowers and places where everyone can relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. Let us ask ourselves what went wrong? Is it still possible for us to maintain that very clean and beautiful environment? If we say yes, and agree that we will play our individual and collective parts to this project, then we must do the following:

i. To make sure that we dispose of our wastes properly in plastic nylon bags and then place them in waste bins with covers
ii. stop the habit of urinating in open spaces (especially the men)
iii. develop the habit of sweeping and cleaning our immediate surrounding on a daily basis
iv. cleaning and clearing our gutters regularly to avoid flooding
v. stop the habit of dropping wastes such as pure water sachets, nylon bags, plastic bottles and other packaging materials on the roads and around us as we do our daily business
vi. disposing our wastes only through registered PSP operators in our neighbourhood and not cart pushers
vii. beautifying our surroundings with flowers and trees (remember those flowers called Hibiscus flowers)
viii. ensuring that our youths participate actively in the monthly sanitation exercise
ix. that we participate in the weekly sanitation exercise at the markets, garages and motor parks (NURTW etc)

I appeal to you, to please pass on these messages to members of your family, neighbours, mosques, churches, motor parks, markets and at regular meetings of your various Associations. It is very important that we continue to show good examples as leaders by ensuring that all our actions at home, work places and social places conform with best hygiene practices.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, my mothers and fathers remember that when we maintain a clean environment and good personal hygiene, we will live a healthy life, reduce work related stress and outbreak of diseases such as malaria, cholera, dysentery and other related disease. If and when we conquer avoidable diseases, government can then use the money for other amenities such as construction of roads, construction of schools, provision of books for our children, construction of modern markets and so on.

Once again, I thank you for your presence here today and hope that we play our part by spreading this message of keeping a clean and healthy environment and good personal hygiene to every part of Lagos State.

God bless you all.

Eko o ni baje.

Her Excellency
Mrs. Abimbola Fashola
First Lady of Lagos State