Some newly developed communities in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State have affirmed the need for house owners to construct gutters in front of their houses.
According to them, this will help guard outbreak of diseases in the area.
The communities, numbering 12, under the aegis of Ojo New Towns Development Communities (ONTDC), made the call during the February edition of its Monthly Meeting on Security and Sanitation on Sunday.
The ONTDC comprises of landlords and residents of the newly developed areas in Ojo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos reports that the communities do not have drainage system thereby compelling residents to discharge waste water on the streets.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) advises not to discharge domestic waste indiscriminately to avoid outbreak of air and waterborne diseases.
Bode Akinsoji , Chairman of ONTDC, said: “This act is an eyesore and constitutes a threat to public health, of which can trigger disease outbreak if not checked.
“It is an obligation for house owners in the area to construct gutters in front of their houses to improve environmental sanitation in the place.
“The act of emptying waste water from bathrooms, kitchens and in most cases also, septic tank through a pipe or inside gutter of houses directly to the streets poses health threats to people.
“It is obvious the area does not have drainage system constructed by government but it will be a disservice to ourselves if we should worsen the situation by discharging unpleasant waste on the streets and roads.
“Many people have already constructed drainage in front of their houses and moreover there is an adjacent channel where we can link this waste water to go through the gutters thereby maintaining good sanitary environment in the area.’’
The chairman, who frowned at the foot dragging of some house owners in constructing the drainage systems, reminded the residents that the body has got the LGA’s permission to construct gutters in and in front of the houses.
According to him, failure to construct within the stipulated period will lead to a surcharge for the landlord to cover for the cost of the construction.
Speaking on the sanitation of the area after the meeting, the Secretary of ONTDC, Mr Tony Alaobi, told NAN that the body had written to house owners in the area concerning the construction of drainage system since October 2020.
Alaobi disclosed that the grace period given for the construction by house owners elapsed on Feb. 28 2021.
“Landlords were given to Feb. 28, 2021 after which the community will go ahead and construct gutters in front of defaulters’ houses and they will be surcharged; this will be double the cost,” he said.
He added that the communities would no longer allow the actions or inactions of individuals to continue to pose a threat to the lives of others. (NAN)
