Morganable News | Communities
Lagos State Government has taken a community-based health and sanitation campaign to Oriade LCDA as part of efforts to improve hygiene awareness at the grassroots.
Lagos —
Residents of Oriade Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State have received health and sanitation guidance as government officials and community stakeholders begin a campaign focused on healthier everyday practices.
The Advocacy and Community-Based Health Sanitation Campaign Programme was held at the Oriade LCDA Secretariat on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The Lagos State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development organised the programme through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Government and Rural Development.
The campaign is expected to reach communities across Lagos State’s five divisions. It aims to bring health and sanitation education closer to residents through local government structures and Community Development Associations (CDAs).
Rather than limiting health education to hospitals and other formal facilities, the programme takes the message directly to communities. This approach focuses on where residents make daily decisions about personal hygiene, waste disposal and environmental cleanliness.
Speaking during the programme, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Kikelomo Bolarinwa, said the campaign would help make basic health and sanitation practices part of residents’ daily routines.
She also encouraged community leaders, youths and residents to take an active role in maintaining healthy surroundings. According to her, a clean environment supports the wellbeing and productivity of communities.
The campaign therefore focuses strongly on behavioural change. Government officials want residents to understand that preventing some health problems can begin with simple actions at home and within their neighbourhoods.
These actions include maintaining personal hygiene, keeping surroundings clean and taking responsibility for environmental sanitation. When residents and local authorities work together, such efforts can also strengthen awareness of preventive healthcare.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Government and Rural Development, Babatunde Durojaiye, said the programme reflects the state government’s attention to healthcare, hygiene and living conditions.
Durojaiye urged participants to pay attention to the health and hygiene information provided by facilitators. He also encouraged them to apply the lessons in their communities.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Oriade LCDA, Rasaq Olojede, welcomed the campaign and pledged the council’s continued partnership with the state government.
Olojede said the council would support efforts to promote hygienic practices at the local level. Such collaboration is important because local councils and community groups are closer to residents. They can therefore communicate public health messages in ways that are easier for people to understand and apply.
The Community Development Committee Chairman in Oriade, Victor Okunola, also promised the cooperation of Community Development Associations across the LCDA.
The involvement of community groups gives the campaign a strong grassroots structure. It also allows residents to participate in discussions about their health and surroundings instead of simply receiving government messages.
The programme featured presentations from officials with experience in environmental hygiene and health education. Felicia Obisesan, a professional from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, spoke on environmental hygiene.
Elizabeth Oguntona, Director of Health Education and Promotion Services in the Ministry of Health, also delivered a presentation.
Their participation connected environmental sanitation with personal and public health. It also gave residents an opportunity to receive information directly from officials working in these areas.
The campaign comes at a time when public health education remains important across Lagos. With its large and diverse population, the state needs both healthcare services and preventive measures that can help residents reduce avoidable health risks.
For communities, prevention can begin with everyday choices. Clean surroundings, proper hygiene and early attention to health concerns can help individuals and families protect their wellbeing.
However, sustained community participation will be important if the campaign is to achieve its goals. While a one-day awareness programme can introduce useful information, regular engagement can help residents maintain the habits promoted during the campaign.
That is why the planned expansion across the state’s five divisions is significant. Taking the message to more communities can give residents in different areas opportunities to learn about healthy practices and discuss challenges affecting their neighbourhoods.
Community Development Associations can also help sustain the message. Because they operate within neighbourhoods, they can encourage residents to participate in sanitation activities, share health information and raise concerns with local authorities.
Similarly, local government councils can help connect community concerns with relevant state agencies. This can make it easier to identify areas where residents need more information, support or intervention.
The campaign also highlights the importance of inclusive public health communication. Health messages are more useful when residents can understand them, relate them to their daily experiences and know where to seek help when necessary.
For Oriade residents, the campaign therefore represents more than a government event. It provides an opportunity for residents, community leaders, youths and public officials to discuss practical ways of improving health and environmental conditions within their neighbourhoods.
The state government has said community participation will remain central to the campaign as it expands. Residents are expected to take ownership of the practices promoted and work with local authorities to create cleaner and healthier communities.
As the programme moves beyond Oriade, its success will depend on continued cooperation among government agencies, local councils, community organisations and residents.
For now, the campaign’s message is clear: healthier communities require shared responsibility. Government can provide information and support, but residents also have an important role in turning that information into daily habits.
By taking health and sanitation advocacy directly to communities, Lagos is seeking to make preventive healthcare and environmental responsibility part of everyday community life.
