AS part of efforts to check the outbreak of cholera and prevent a repeat of the 2024 incident in the state, Lagos State government has not only sought the cooperation of food vendors and waste managers, but it has also tasked them to put in place a hygienic process that would ensure no case of cholera is recorded in the state.

General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Babatunde Ajayi, gave the advice yesterday, during a one-day seminar in Ikeja Local Council for informal food and water vendors and waste workers in flood-affected areas in the state to combat the cholera outbreak, organised by LASEPA and UNIDO, with funding from the Japanese government.

He noted that informal food vendors and waste managers are critical if the state must win the war against cholera.

Ajayi, who was represented by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Environmental Protection Matters, Tolulope Adebowale, said: “This important cholera awareness programme is organised as part of the collective efforts to safeguard public health and protect the environment.

“Cholera remains a serious public health concern, particularly in communities where access to clean water, proper sanitation, and good hygiene practices may be limited.

“As we are all aware, cholera is preventable. However, prevention requires awareness, education, environmental responsibility, and strong community collaboration.

“I encourage everyone present here to actively participate, ask questions, and most importantly, share the knowledge gained today within your families, workplaces, and communities. Together, we can significantly reduce the risk of cholera outbreaks and build a healthier Lagos.”

In his presentation, the Field Coordinator of UNIDO, Charles Uzoma, said that since the project’s inception, it has progressed steadily with impact.

According to him, over 500 informal food and water vendors and waste workers have been reached in the different local councils where the project has taken the awareness programme to.

He stated the goal is to ensure that informal food and water vendors and waste workers in flood-affected areas in the state embrace hygienic processes in their personal and business operations as an antidote to the cholera outbreak.