The Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) has introduced a Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) initiative to enhance environmental cleanliness and public health.
Dr. Muhammad Mahmud Bose, Director-General of BASEPA, disclosed this on Thursday in Bauchi during a meeting with members of the Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD).
He said the agency replaced the monthly mandatory sanitation exercise, which was observed on the last Saturday of every month, with a more effective community-driven approach.
“We observed that during the monthly sanitation exercise, many people just stay at home, waiting for the exercise to end so they can go out. Instead of blocking roads, we decided to bring the exercise directly to the people,” Bose said.
He explained that under the new strategy, BASEPA would identify specific communities, equip them with sanitation tools, and encourage active participation in maintaining cleanliness.
The director-general said the initiative also aimed at addressing deforestation through a tree-planting campaign integrated into the sanitation program.
He commended journalists for their contributions to environmental protection and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborating with J4PD in areas such as afforestation and climate-resilient fecal sludge management.
Bose emphasized the need to minimize environmental degradation while ensuring public health and sustainable development.
