Cholera: Osun New Era Lions Club Sensitises Osogbo Market Women, Donates Waste Bin

As a way of keeping the environment clean and avoiding cholera in Osun State, Osun New Era Lions Club, Osogbo, District 404B2-Nigeria on Thursday, donated a big Galvanised metal waste bin to Oluode market in Osogbo, the state capital.

The club also sensitised market women on the need to keep their environment clean and stay healthy to guide them against the deadly cholera disease.

Speaking during the handing over of the Galvanised waste bin, the President of Osun New Era Lions Club, Lion Busola Ogundiya, urged the state government to make provisions for where market people can dump their refuse and make sure the refuse are evacuated frequently. 

Lion Ogundiya who noted that the market leaders were the ones that demanded a place to dump their refuse, urged the market women to always keep their environment clean.

She said, “We are here today to donate this Galvanised waste bin to manage the refuse that we have in Oluode market. Before coming, we met with the market heads on the need assessment and it was then that they told us that as big as the market is, they don’t have where to drop their refuse.

“We know the state government cannot do it alone but we will still admonish them to keep ringing it in the ears of our people that dumping of refuse, either in the gutter or the canal is very wrong. They should provide as many places and waste bins as possible where people can drop their waste and make sure the waste management goes regularly to pick it up.

“Market is the next to mouth. It is where we buy what we eat and sometimes, we buy things there and drop them in our mouths. So, we want the market people to always keep their environment clean.

“We’ve already sensitised the people on the need to keep their places clean and live healthy to avoid cholera.”

In his admonition, the 2nd Vice District Governor 404B2- Nigeria, Lion Oluomo Sunday Akere, appealed to the market women to use the facility in a way that would not discourage the waste management officials from doing their work.

He equally admonished the people at the event on membership drive saying that the Club is for all be it farmers, market men and women, artisans, the health workers, and other responsible people who could contribute their quota positively to the development and humanitarian service to their communities.

According to him, “In Lions Club, we have our areas of focus which include, Environment and our Lions year starts every first of July. For this month, our activity globally is on environment and we decided after the need assessment to bring this big Galvanised waste bin here.

“The market women should not allow people to misuse the facility. They should ensure that they pack their waste in a way that will not discourage the waste management officials from picking the refuse.”

Also, speaking, the Director, Environmental Management and Sanitation, Osun Waste Management Agency, Mr Peter Alesinloye, promised the market women that his officers would be on ground to pick the refuse regularly.

He said, “We thank God for the presence of this organisation and their partnership with the Osun State Government in making sure that our cities are clean.

“We have been here since morning, joining them to sensitise members of the market about imbibing the culture of cleanliness. We have assured them that our vehicles will be coming to evacuate the dirt on a weekly basis.”

Dr Adelekan, Adesoji Adewale, the Director of Training, Osun New Era Lions Club, Osogbo gave health talk on the dreaded Cholera disease that is rampaging the Country and educated the people on the its causes, symptoms, management and prevention.

He enjoined the people to ensure cleanliness in all their daily endeavours so that they would continue to enjoy good health.
In his words, he said “Cholera is a dreadful disease that can kill human being within some hours if not properly and promptly managed. It is caused mainly by unkempt environment and contaminated food.

Its symptoms are vomiting and dehydration leading to loss of major nutrients in the body.” It is important to take the patient to the hospital where treatment and management would be given by qualified health professionals.

It is equally imperative to make sure that our environment is kept clean always and our food properly managed.

The Osogboland Head of Hunters and Osun State respectively, High Chief Alhaji Okeloye Tajudeen Ogundapo who was joined by High Chief Alhaji Lasisi Ajadi Adegoke, Osun State Chairman of Chairmen of Hunters appreciated the gesture from Osun New Era Lions Club for coming to their aid in the area of waste management in the market and promised that the leaders of the market would not leave any stone unturned in the proper usage and management of the Galvanised Waste Bin and environmental sanitation.

He said “The people of Oluode market has been yearning for how well they would be keeping their environment clean as well as how to manage the refuse and now that the Galvanised Waste Bin had been donated to them by the Club there is a sigh of relief”.

Speaking further he admonished the health workers present at the programme to ensure that they come regularly for the disposal of the refuse.

“We are ready to lend our hands at all time to ensure that there were no problem in the management of the refuse”.

High Chief Alhaji Lasisi Ajadi Adegoke, the Osun State Chairman of Chairmen of hunters, appreciated the good gesture of Osun New Era Lions Club, Osogbo and solicited for the same gesture for his community at Isale-Osun area of Osogbo.
The head of the market (Iyaloja), Sidikatu Lateef, in her words of appreciation, said, “On behalf of the market women, I want to appreciate Osun New Era Lions Club, Osogbo for this gesture and I’m urging my people to make judicious use of the Galvanised waste bin.”

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