By Debo Omilani, Lagos

In a concerted effort to tackle recurrent cholera outbreaks in Lagos State, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in partnership with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), on Tuesday inaugurated a vital capacity-building project targeting informal food/water vendors and waste workers in flood-affected areas of the state.

The initiative, titled “Emergency Capacity Building of the Informal Food/Water Vendors and Waste Workers in Flood Affected Areas of Lagos to Combat Cholera Outbreaks,” was formally launched at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island. Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event.

Delivering the Governor’s goodwill message, Wahab described cholera as a persistent health crisis, with outbreaks occurring almost annually due to factors such as climate change, conflict-driven displacement, and rapid urbanization without adequate infrastructure. He recalled that in 2021 alone, Nigeria recorded over 100,000 suspected cases of cholera and more than 3,500 deaths across 32 states.

“This initiative is both timely and critical,” Wahab stated. “It aims to strengthen the emergency response capacity of informal food and water vendors as well as waste workers—essential service providers who are highly vulnerable to cholera due to their constant exposure to contaminated environments.”

He explained that the Lagos State Government, through LASEPA, sought technical support from UNIDO to improve environmental quality while addressing social and economic needs. The collaboration also involves the Government of Japan, which has provided invaluable support for the project.

The program will focus on educating frontline workers on cholera transmission pathways, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. It will adopt a community-based learning model to engage local stakeholders in identifying risks and developing context-specific solutions. A gender-sensitive framework will also be integrated to ensure equitable participation and address the unique vulnerabilities faced by male and female workers.

Wahab reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to safeguarding public health through proactive environmental policies and strategic partnerships with ministries, departments, agencies, international organizations, the private sector, and local communities.

He commended the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, the UNIDO team, and other stakeholders for their roles in championing the project. “This collaboration exemplifies the power of partnerships in addressing urgent public health challenges,” he concluded.