The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Government of Japan, has moved its targeted Cholera Prevention Campaign to the Ojo Local Government Area of the state.
The campaign is a component of a larger, one-year initiative titled: “Emergency Capacity Building of the Informal Food and Water Vendors and Waste Workers in Flood-Affected Lagos to Combat Cholera Outbreaks” (Project 240236).
The core aim is to equip informal food handlers, water vendors, and waste workers with the necessary knowledge and preventive practices to contain the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
The sensitisation event, held at Gastro Restaurant and Lounge, LASU–Iyana Iba Road, Ojo, gathered stakeholders from the informal sector, including vendors, waste workers, community members, and students.
Delivering the keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji, reiterated that cholera is a preventable food- and water-borne disease caused by poor hygiene.
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Gaji, who was represented by the Director of Sanitation Services, Sanuth Hassan, warned that Lagos, as a coastal state, is highly susceptible to outbreaks if sanitation practices are ignored.
He stressed the importance of residents properly treating or boiling all drinking water and thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables before consumption.
He also disclosed that the state government is working to improve waste management by converting existing dumpsites into material recovery centres to reduce flooding and environmental pollution.
LASEPA’s General Manager, Babatunde Ajayi, represented by the Director of Engineering Services, Taiwo Olumuyiwa, stated that the agency’s role in the project involves investigating sources of water contamination, driving public awareness, and building community capacity for effective waste management and pollution prevention.
Ajayi confirmed that LASEPA regularly conducts water quality assessments across Lagos to monitor contamination levels.
He added that this phase of the project focuses on continuous community sensitisation in various local government areas, which will be followed by intensified environmental health enforcement to ensure regulatory compliance and safeguard public health.
Wunako Elam, UNIDO Project Assistant, commended the Lagos State Government for its proactive cholera prevention efforts and thanked the Government of Japan for funding the intervention.
She described the initiative as a practical and timely measure that addresses past outbreaks and strengthens the state’s resilience against future occurrences by focusing on high-risk groups.
