Ministry, Church Take Handwashing Campaign to Students

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province 8, has inaugurated a 20 unit modern hand washing station, donated by the church to Gbagada Comprehensive Junior High School, Lagos.

The project is part of the church’s Christian social responsibility and mandate to affect its community positively, show love and be a blessing to others.

Speaking during the launch of the facility at the school premises, the Assistant Pastor in charge of the province, Pastor Joel Amore, said the church decided to provide a hand washing station to affect the future. “When you are healthy then you can fulfil your mandate, we are affecting the future of the nation by helping people to fulfil their dreams and helping the education sector to achieve its purpose.”

He said the church also looked at the environment to see what will benefit not just few individuals, but majority of the people, adding that the hand washing station would serve the students, staff and parents when they visit the school.

The cleric urged other individuals and religious organisations to understand the essence of living, which is giving. “When you know the essence of living, which is giving, nobody should be compelled to give; and you don’t have to be exceedingly rich, it is just the desire to be a blessing to others so that the world will be a better place for all of us.”

In her remarks, the Federal Controller of Environment, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Agbenla, stated that hand washing with soap and water was instituted since 2008 and October 15 of every year has been dedicated as its commemoration with different themes.

She commended the church for heeding the ministry’s call for donors of hand washing stations in schools, adding that hand washing with soap and water remains the single most important means of preventing the spread of infections especially among the clustered children in schools.

“The theme of this year’s celebrated Global Hand Washing Day was ‘Clean Hands, a Recipe for Health’, which means that clean hands are foundation of health.”

Responding, the Principal of the school, Mr. Anthony Adegbemi, stated that hand washing helps in creating a healthier community by stopping the spread of germs and diseases.

He stressed that if children are healthy and study in a healthy environment, they will perform better in schools. While thanking the donor and those who facilitated the project, he promised adequate maintenance and proper usage of the hand washing station.