For the past five years of Governor Seyi Makinde’s stewardship, Oyo State has grappled and struggled with the menace of sanitation issues. Despite a series of efforts, the challenges have persisted with environmentalists calling on the government to explore other available and affordable means. To show readiness, the state government on its part has tried different consultancy services in a bid to address the problem.

Sadly, the problem has remained unabated leading to widespread condemnation and criticism of the government’s efforts. Across the major towns, cities, and villages in the state, piles of refuse have become a daily eyesore. On roads and under bridges, refuses and dirt has become an embarrassing menace in the day and the night. Commuters, transporters, and passengers are not only hopeless, helpless, and hapless, but they are also tired of a government that has promised so much but delivered so little.

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Consequently, the effects of an untidy environment have reflected in various health-related issues, recent of which is the cholera outbreak that took the state by the storm. In places like Omi Adio, Akinyele, Mokola, and others, the disease has wreaked havoc, claiming lives in the process.

While the contaminable gastrointestinal disease appeared to have been relatively contained, the spread of it and the danger it posed are testament to the negligence of the government in tackling the root cause of the menace head-on.

Fortunately, there’s a way out that is not far-fetched: recruitment of competent environmental health workers. Undoubtedly, employing those practitioners will be a game changer as Oyo state finds a lasting solution to the challenges of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the roads, in the gutter, and at home. In the distant past, environmental health workers aptly known in local parlance as ‘Wole Wole’ are reputed for their dedication and commitment to work.

They carry out their task with unbridled passion regardless of whose ox is gored. They ensured our homes were clean, and free of dirt while tackling refuse dumpers in the market and other public places. In fact, it is because of them that we have regular monthly sanitation exercises – an opportunity for people to clean up their surroundings while taking care of their health and importantly their environment.

Today, the efforts of those committed and gallant public servants have been sandbagged by the state government. Perhaps, the state government’s struggle with sanitation issue is practically, self-inflicted. But is it too late to nip the problem in the bud? Certainly not.

The ongoing recruitment exercise into the primary healthcare sector provides an incredible opportunity to bring back ‘Wole Wole’ to their duty. While this writer is aware of the politics and politicking that goes into recruitment exercise in the state, he is appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde to wade into the blatant omission of environmental health officers from the job application.

In 2021 when the application form for the ongoing exercise was released, the eligibility criteria captured interested environmental health officers. Enthusiastic about the prospect of making a difference in public sensitization, and sanitation, prospective applicants jumped on the opportunity with remarkable hope. Unfortunately, they have been shortchanged.

To effectively tackle the myriads of environmental challenges rocking the state, boosting the workforce of environmental health practitioners is the surest way. Partly because they have the skills, discipline, and dedication to get the job done.