By Soliu Owoyabu, Abeokuta
To mark Rotary theme for this Month, which is Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project (WASH Project), the members of the Rotary Club of Rockcity have on Thursday 28th of March, 2023 cleaned Ibara Omida Market and its environment, calling on Government to provide good and portable water for residents.
While addressing the newsmen, the President of the Club, Rtn. (Engr.) Gbolagoke Oluleke Adebiyi noted the goals of the Club in rendering humanitarian services and impactful project for the month.
While lauding the residents of Ogun state for the weekly sanitation exercise, he enjoined them not to relent on it, highlighted the advantages of been living in a cleaned environment.
He however, admonished the government to make good and portable water to be accessible to the people of the state and sensitize the public on the needs to live in an hygienic environment.
“We are using today’s project to mark the theme of Rotary for the month of March which is Water Sanitation and Hygiene. It is all about preaching the benefit and necessity for us to maintain water hygiene and sanitation within our communities, and that is why we want to mark it with cleaning of our environment and showcase what we do in Rotary for this month.
“Rotarians are people of actions and the reason why we are here is to show that we are people of humanitarian services. In our little way from Rotary Club of Rock City, we want to make sure that we provide our relentless services to the humanity, we are trying to clean the environment, and to make sure that all unhygienic substances around this market are clean up. The refuses are clean up to actually play our role as Rotarians that is an aspect of water sanitation and hygiene; the hygienic part of it is what we are being observe today to at least provide the services we are known for and to exhibit service gesture through our action to people of Omida Market and the environment.
“I want to commend the people of Ogun state because they are doing very well as regard sanitation . Everybody know that within Ogun state, every Thursday is observed for Sanitation exercise . I want to let them known that, the benefit of cleanliness is more, because by the time you clean your environment, you will do away with diseases that may want to come from unhygienic environment. I want to encourage people of Ogun state to do more on this aspect and improve on the necessity for us to be hygienic in whatever we do.
“My advise to government is to look in to the water sanitation and hygiene. They should provide more portable water for people and preach the gospel of people being clean and inculcate the habit of daily cleaning activities.
In his contribution, a member of the Club, Rtn.(Hon.) Abiola Muheeb Kehinde said that, the members of the Club are at Omida Market to sanitize the environment and let the market men and women know the need to take good water, live in a better environment and to let them know that their place of sales should be cleaned.
While commending the Club on their support to government’s efforts, he urged the government to do more in the provision of water for people, especially in market places in order to live healthy, and also make provision for other social amenities.
The chairman, Planning committee of WASH Project, Rtn Modupeore Ajayi emphasized on the reasons why the market people should be living in an hygienic environment in order to avoid any form of diseases and health related issues.
She added that, they should get some equipment that is going to aid them in making their work faster during sanitation exercise and wash their hands after cleaning before eating. She further laid emphasis that, It is a must for them to wash their hands when they finish cleaning and that they should also make sure they sanitize their hands or wash it with soap and water.
In her reaction, the Iyaloja of Ibara Omida Market, Chief Mrs Rebecca Atoke Somefun thanked the members of the Club for their humanitarian services and their unwavering support for the people in the market, saying that the members of the Club always visit the market for sanitation exercise and sensitize the people on how they can keep their environment clean.
She however, appealed to the government to look in to the crazy bill by the officials of water corporation without regular provision of water and also urged her members not to abuse the usage of water by wasting it.