Nation
Ekiti, CSOs Launch Campaign On Personal Hygiene, Sanitation
The Ekiti State Government, in partnership with some civil society organisations (CSOs), has launched Clean Family Campaign to instil key hygienic practices and check menace of open defaecation in the state.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Mr Bamidele Faparusi, said in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday that it was aimed at mobilising communities and healthcare facilities toward imbibing specific hygiene behaviours.
The Clean Family Campaign is expected to be carried out by Ekiti Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), in collaboration with Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF) and WaterAid Nigeria.
Also, as part of the campaign launch, there was inauguration and handing over of an hygiene-based facility to the management of Christ School, Ado-Ekiti.
Faparusi said the initiative would change the physical and social environment, change the narrative in people’s mind and motivating them to think and act differently through the use of emotional triggers.
He said that the initiative was in line with the national sanitation campaign of the Federal Government tagged: “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet”.
It was launched in 2019 to deliver an open defaecation free Nigeria by 2025.
According to him, good hygiene is the first line of defence against infectious diseases, like Coronavirus disease.
He said: ”Lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure make the practice of good hygiene difficult.
“It is against this background that we are launching the Clean Family Campaign in Ekiti, in collaboration with WaterAid Nigeria.”
The commissioner recommended handwashing with soap at critical times, social distancing, respiratory hygiene, use of clean toilets, proper waste management and cleaning frequently touched surfaces for better outcome, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Faparusi said the state government, through the campaign, would empower and encourage people to practice good hygiene, using contexts specific hygiene messaging through promotional touch points such as Television, billboards and radios.
“We will also hand over 35 permanent handwashing facilities and 100 semi-permanent handwashing facilities and hygiene packs to some underserved communities in the state.
“We believe that the Clean Family Campaign, being launched, will contribute toward achieving the objectives of the state’s open defaecation free roadmap.
“It set us on track to attain open defaecation free status by 2022 – a directive by the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, and change the current narrative around sanitation and hygiene in the state,” he said.
In her remarks, Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Mrs Evelyn Mere, said 167 million citizens (84 per cent of the population), lacked basic handwashing facilities.
Mere, represented by Head, Policy, Advocacy and Communications of the organisation, Mr Kolawole Banwo, said that 112 million people (56 per cent of the population) lacked decent toilets.
She said that the development was responsible for the outbreaks of diseases like diarrhoea, Cholera, Lassa fever as well as stunting and poor cognitive in children.
The country director said that the campaign would be implemented in two streams concurrently.
According to her, they are provision of sanitation and hygiene facilities and kits as well as hygiene promotion through national and community televisions, billboards and radio stations.
Also, the Executive Director, Environmental Development and Family Health Organisation (EDFHO), Mr Olu Ogunrotimi, said the organisation would continue to complement the state government efforts.
Ogunrotimi called for more cooperation and synergy among stakeholders in the sector to achieve the desired free open defaecation status in the state.
Commenting, representative of Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF), Mrs Bukola Adeyemo, said the foundation had invested over 10 million Euro toward creating hygienic environment in Africa.
Adeyemo said the foundation, established in 2007, was saddled with the responsibility of improving the health status of people in the Sub-Sahara African.
She said the foundation had earmarked five million Euro to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the coming year.
Commenting, a student of Christ School, Ado-Ekiti, Master Akindele Tope, thanked both the state government and Heineken African Foundation for the donation, describing the gesture as unprecedented and highly beneficial.
Contributing, Chief Ojo Babatunde, the Odofin of Odo-Oro, lauded the collaboration aimed at enhancing best personal hygiene practices and safe environment across the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, has reiterated the commitment to service delivery for pensioners.
Ejikeme said this during the Customer Service Week in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that commission had a mandate to deliver good service delivery to the pensioners.
Ejikeme, who was represented by the Director Civil Service Pension Department, Mr Kabir Yusuf, said that the customer service week was important to operations of PTAD.
“Customer service is the support that you give to a customer, whether it is an existing customer or potential customer in the process of delivering or making enquires about a service.
“To be a good customer service representative you need to be knowledgeable, have good attitude and attribute especially to the senior citizens and have empathy,” he said.
Ejikeme said that all PTAD staff had most of the attributes of a good customer representative.
“We provide excellent customer service by going to verify our aged pensioners who cannot do it by themselves anywhere across the country.
“There is a dedicated team that was mandated to go round to confirm the aliveness of those who can not confirm their aliveness either because the are too old or have health issues,” the executive secretary said.
The National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said that the official theme of the 2024 customer service week was “ We Go Above and Beyond For Our Customers.”
She commended PTAD and the SERVICOM team for organising the 2024 customer service week.
“This is in line with the best practice of celebrating frontline workers and service takers.
“Customer service week is celebrated annually during the first full week in October.
It calls attention to the importance of people to boost morale team work and departmental collaboration in supporting pensioners.
“ It is a platform to reward employees for the significant work they do,” Akajemeli said.
She said that the objective of the customer service week was to celebrate the hard work and dedication of employee who strived to create positive customer experiences.
She said that it was time to show customers that the organisation valued their experience and feedback, through comment cards, dedicated hotline, among others.
Akajemeli said that it raised awareness internally and externally about the importance of good customer service in building customer loyalty and satisfaction.
She said that the benefit was to increase motivation, show appreciation, encourage friendly competition, boost employee retention, create a positive workplace and increase productivity.
The Head, Surveillance Department at the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr Abdulrahman Saleem, said that good service delivery was the key success of every establishment.
Salem said that PTAD operated with standard, considering the success it had achieved so far.
Saleem said that pensioners required the best service attitude and behavior.
“ I give kudos to PTAD for its efforts and encourage it to do more.
“Therefore I urge PTAD staff to keep up the standard and continue to give good service to the pensioners,” he said.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has honoured Flying Officer David Sangokoya for winning the 2023/2024 Royal Air Force College Cranwell International Cadet Sword of Honour.
Abubakar honoured the officer during the presentation of cheques to 13 beneficiaries of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy (GPAIP) in Abuja, yesterday.
He described the achievement as ground-breaking as it was the first time an African cadet had won the prestigious award since the Academy’s creation over 100 years ago.
According to him, the feat underscores the excellence that exists within NAF, and proof that NAF officers and cadets can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.
“To our awardee, you have set a new standard, not just for your peers, but for every cadet and officer that will come after you.
“This accomplishment is a powerful reminder that no goal is out of reach when one is armed with dedication, discipline and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“Your journey as an officer has begun with this prestigious accolade, but the true measure of your success will be seen in how you serve, lead and contribute to the mission of NAF and the defence of our great nation.
“As we celebrate this historic occasion, we extend our deepest gratitude to the United Kingdom Government for its unwavering support in providing world-class training opportunities to our personnel.
“This has enabled our officers and men to gain invaluable skills and knowledge, strengthening not only our bilateral ties but also our collective ability to address global security challenges,” he said.
The CAS said that the NAF looked forward to continuing the fruitful partnership for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and UK countries.
He expressed gratitude and unflinching loyalty to President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the welfare and training of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and NAF in particular.
“I must also take a moment to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the leadership of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the instructors who helped to mould and prepare this cadet for the global stage.
“Their dedication and commitment to developing top-notch officers is evident in this ground-breaking achievement.
“You have not only trained a leader but have given the Nigerian Air Force a legacy we will all cherish,” he said.
National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has advocated private sector involvement to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General of the authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, made the call at a high-level policy dialogue on sustainable health system reforms in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that the dialogue was organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a coalition of private sector stakeholders, to address the multifaceted challenges plaguing the country’s healthcare system.
The dialogue has “Private Sector Support for SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) in Healthcare” as its theme.
Represented by Dr Yakubu Agada-Amade, the NHIA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, Ohiri explained the crucial role of private sector collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system
He highlighted the “One Plan” under the SWAp framework, which seeks to unify health sector efforts, ensuring efficient resource use, effective governance and expanded healthcare access.
He also stressed the importance of overcoming barriers that historically hindered the implementation of healthcare interventions in Nigeria, such as inadequate financing, weak governance systems, and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He added that “the dialogue explored innovative approaches, including digital health innovations and financing mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of the National Health Act and mandatory health insurance coverage.
“With enrollment in health insurance growing by 14 per cent over the past year, NHIA can push for greater inclusivity, particularly targeting the informal sector through flexible payment systems and partnerships with telecommunications companies.”
He called for stronger synergy between public and private health actors to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and sustainable reforms in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Panelists from the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) and Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) echoed the sentiments, underscoring the private sector’s role in expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare delivery.
They commended NHIA’s efforts toward driving reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).