Lagos State First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday called on residents of the state to regularly wash their hands with soap and water and take fruits to build immunity against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Mrs Sanwo-Olu, who spoke at a ‘special sanitation visitation’ of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) to Tejuosho Ultra-Modern Market in Yaba, said it was important for people to adequately fortify themselves to be on a sound footing to ward off any threat of disease.
The state’s first lady, who is also chairman of COWLSO, said market sanitation was a critical factor in protecting the health of residents, and that the government would do everything possible to ensure hygiene in markets across the state in line with the health and environment component of the THEMES agenda of her husband’s administration.
“Coming into the market this morning, I saw a banner placed at the entrance gate to educate the people about coronavirus and I must commend you for that because it is important for the markets to be clean. It is also important for people to imbibe the habit of regular washing of hands with soap and water,” she said.
“It is very important that we should all be aware that as long as we are eating clean and healthy vegetables and fruits, we would be able to increase our immunity so that we will be strong to fight the virus.
“As a matter of fact, this time around we need double dose of clean vegetables; double dose of fruits and for the doctors, we would recommend Vitamin C to build your immunity and even when you have any of the attacks like cough and so on, it would run its course and not stay in your body.
“By the grace of God, we are going to ensure that everybody fortifies their body by eating well, eating clean food and being in clean environment and that is why we are starting with the markets because most people come to the market to buy things and there will also be reward for cleanest market.”
The governor’s wife added that in line with the ongoing campaign to end tuberculosis, it was equally essential to educate the people that they should use handkerchiefs to cover their mouth when coughing and in case that is not available, the hand or elbow should be used to prevent the spread of the disease, as well as regular medical checkup.
She commended the Babaloja and Iyaloja of Tejuosho market for maintaining a clean environment, urging them to go further to ensure that the shop owners in adjourning areas to the market also key into the efforts to foster cleaner environment.
Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Tajudeen Ajide, commended the first lady for choosing the market as the first point of call for the sanitation visitation, saying it was clear that the health of residents was a priority to the COWLSO leadership.
The Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, said the initiative of COWLSO to visit markets to play up sanitation was in line with the vision of market leadership in the state to ensure that hygiene is accorded the needed priority.
