Toluwanimi Eleoramo, a gospel artist, in collaboration with African Centre for Environmental Protection (ACEP), had penultimate Saturday kicked off a Sanitation Project to help promote wholesome living in the Abuja community.
The sanitation project tagged ‘Mercy’, started off with Jabi Lake clean up on Saturday, June 27 this year. And it was powered by her husband and CEO, Kohath Group, Teni Eleoramo.
The gospel artist, with the stage name Toluwanimee, speaking with journalists during the cleanup, lamented the poor hygiene of the lake which serves as the main water source for the community dwellers.
Toluwanimee highlighted, “While shooting my music video on the lake, I saw debris in the water which serves as the main water source of the community and I was concerned about the health implications on the people, and their occupation.”
This cleanup, she assured residents, would help the children in the community stay healthy and remain healthier. “We have to work with the fishermen to encourage them to come out for this sanitation exercise.
Read also: Gospel artist to lead Abuja community in lake clean up
“We are cleaning the water and surroundings of the dirt thrown into the water, which obviously is distorting the ecosystem of the water,” Toluwanimee noted.
Speaking on the project, Femi Adegoke, Country manager, Oxford Policy Management, emphasised the need to keep the lake clean as a means of boosting the economic activities of the community.
“These people depend on this water body for their livelihood, and they must learn to properly dispose of their waste. There should be a continuous sanitation programme here not just for their health but also to help promote their fishing occupation,” Adegoke said.
In her remarks, a health expert, Adaora Keazor said with the current outbreak of cholera in the country, sanitation and waste disposal must be appropriately done to aid healthful living in the community.
While addressing newsmen during the exercise, the Chief of Agatu Community in Abuja, Adamu Issa bemoaned the sordid health effect of the contaminated water. He, therefore, tasked the governments to purify the lake and make living better for the people.
“The children here are always urinating blood and experiencing mosquito bites. We have complained to the government but nothing has been done but with this encouragement we received today, we would ensure environmental sanitation becomes a continuous practice here,” he concluded.
