In the bid to control environmental health challenges, the Federal Ministry of Environment, in partnership with ANDELSTA Ltd., has re-launched the malaria control and liquid waste management programme in Abuja to achieve a clean and green environment.
The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril Usman, said the ministry decided to re-launch the programme with the sole objective of achieving a clean and green environment free of mosquitoes and other diseases prevalent in the country.
The minister said: “The programme is expected to eradicate the breeding places of mosquitoes in order to eradicate them from our environment, thereby preventing and reducing incidents of malaria.”
He further said malaria parasites were the major cause of infant mortality and morbidity which had significant direct and indirect economic consequences, including low productivity, absenteeism from school, increased poverty, etc.
“The programme will be private sector-driven while government will provide the enabling environment for its implementation. It is our belief that the programme will attract participation and funding from international agencies and corporate organisations for its implementation,” he said.
He, however, urged the states and local governments to key in to the programme.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of ANDELSTA, Engr. Fintan Ibeshi, said the launching would change the face of sanitation practice in Nigeria to the benefit of all because it was an all-comers thing where everyone would provide the solutions.
Ibeshi said everyday should be a sanitation day, further urging the people to effectively manage their waste water from both domestic and industrial sources to eliminate mosquito habitats.
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