By Esther Onyegbula

Nigerians have been urged to keep their environment clean as part of the effort to enable them eradicate malaria. Making the call last week  during a sensitisation exercise in Garuba Musa Muslim Community in Mushin area of Lagos, the Director, Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative, YEDI,  Anu Ishola, said the intention was to sustain the environmental sanitation through enlightenment partnership with the community.

Mosquito

Ishola, who  led over 100 members of the group to the  community for the sanitation exercise, mobilised them in removing refuse, clearing of the  drainages, distribution of treated mosquito nets and sensitising the residents among others.

Speaking, to the residents, a LAWMA official, Nsubia Essien, told the residents to learn how to dispose of their waste, especially domestic waste, that should not be dumped inside the drainage system so as to avoid blockage of the water channels.

Essien explained that the stagnant water enables mosquitoes to breed and increase the risk of  malaria.

“So we are urging the community to dispose off their domestic waste properly by calling on their PSP to help  dispose their waste properly. When wastes are properly disposed other diseases will also be prevented,” he said.

In addition to cleaning the environment, the organisers  provided a mini mobile clinic that provided free malaria tests and medical check-ups for the residents who were present.

Chief Imam of the community, Idris Lawal Harun,  pledged that they would  continually keep the environment clean.