The Gombe State Environmental Sanitation and Protection Agency (GOSEPA) has officially reintroduced house-to-house sanitation inspections across selected communities in the state metropolis.
This strategic move is part of a renewed campaign to improve hygiene standards and accelerate the state’s progress toward achieving a total Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Announcing the initiative during a press briefing following a monitoring exercise, the Executive Secretary of GOSEPA, Dr. Auwalu Baba Jada, explained that reviving these inspections is essential for maintaining a safe and healthy environment.
He noted that while the agency had previously conducted such exercises, the practice had declined over the years, creating a gap that now requires urgent attention to prevent health challenges linked to environmental contamination.
Under the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme, the agency has identified specific focal areas for the first phase of the rollout, including Shamaki West, Jekadafari East, Jekadafari West and South, and Pantami West.
Dr. Jada confirmed that sanitary inspectors have already been deployed to these neighborhoods to ensure the program’s success.
“As part of efforts to ensure community participation and acceptance, our inspectors will first engage community and religious leaders, Ward Development Committees, women and youth groups, as well as other relevant stakeholders to sensitize them on the dangers of open defecation, indiscriminate refuse disposal, poor sanitation, and unhygienic practices,” Dr. Jada stated.
The inspection strategy places a significant emphasis on the household unit, with a particular focus on engaging women as the primary custodians of domestic hygiene.
Inspectors are tasked with discussing personal cleanliness, the maintenance of household toilets, and menstrual hygiene management during their visits.
Dr. Jada called on residents and traditional authorities to embrace the exercise, urging community and religious leaders to amplify the message within their domains.
He emphasized that public cooperation is vital in the fight against indiscriminate refuse dumping and other unhealthy environmental practices to ensure the long-term objectives of the SURWASH Programme are met.