An environmental health professional, Alhaji Abulrasaq Akande, on Thursday called for more training of environmental health officers to enhance their performances.
Akande, who works at the Oriade Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that sanitation inspection was a huge responsibility.
He urged governments to provide requisite training for environmental health officers for improved skills.
According to him, training on environmental laws is necessary for the public health workers.
He said that environmental health inspection in the LCDA had been effective due to commitment of workers.
“I must say that we do not experience much challenges, especially as we have been assigned courts where we prosecute matters.
“We ensure we dispense our duties; when we secure arrest warrants, we proceed and execute the warrants.
“However, I must appeal to governments to provide training for environmental health officers, in environmental laws, to enhance our performances.
“This can be done by organising workshops and seminars for health officers especially prosecutors,” he said.
NAN reports that environmental health officers are responsible for monitoring and enforcing health and hygiene legislation.
They also investigate when there is an incident such as pollution, toxic contamination, pest infestation or outbreak of food poisoning. (NAN)