Press Releases

LASG to Distribute Sterilizing Units to Battle HIV

Feb 9, 2008 - The Lagos State Government plans to distribute sterilizing units to barbing salons and boutiques in the state as part of its strategy to combat the dreaded HIV/AIDS scourge.

The distribution, which will commence before the end of the first quarter of this year, will be concentrated mainly in densely populated areas of the state where residents are mostly uneducated and uninformed about the dreaded disease.

The State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who gave the hint at a dinner in honour of the visiting Executive Chairman and other officials of the Williams J. Clinton Foundation from the United States, said the plan was informed by the realization that these uneducated and uninformed people living in the densely populated areas of the state subject themselves to the use of razor blades on a multiple bases thereby laying themselves open to infection.

“Our initiative to combat AIDS will not take us to our destination unless we adopt this pre-emptive strategy”, the governor said, adding that the Foundation was already structuring a programme to fund the sterilizing units.

The Governor also revealed that the Foundation would partner with the state government in the areas of Housing, Transportation, Waste management and the Environment.

Commenting on the plans of government on Climatic change, the Governor noted that “The world has become a global village and whatever happens in one part of the world affects the other parts”, adding that even though there is still controversy surrounding the question of whether or not there is a melting down of the Antarctic, the fact that there is so much debate and argument on it was enough to make every country to pay attention.

“Today, whenever there is any climatic change in America or any other part of Europe, before 14 days the impact is felt on the Atlantic in Nigeria and Lagos particularly”, the governor said.

Fashola, who said the state government has already taken a position on the issue, pointed out, “it is because of this concern that we have started the initiative in the area of transportation through the use of energy saving devises to reduce carbon content that debilitates the environment and challenges the quality of life that we really need”, adding “Good health is the major indices in the human developmental index that tallies and adds to the level of life and sustainability in the environment”.

According to the governor, the environment has been a thorny issue in Nigeria generally and in Lagos particularly, adding that Lagos has been particularly challenged by the issue of waste management and the threat of rising water level as a result of the climatic change.

On Transportation, the governor said the Foundation would partner with the government in the on-going Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Scheme in the area of making the buses gas compliant.

He said on its part government was already lighting up the streets in some parts of the city with energy-compliant bulbs, adding that Awolowo Road and Adeola Odeku Street in Ikoyi and Victoria Island are already enjoying the lighting from 6.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.

Also enjoying the facilities, according to the governor, are Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way and Eko Bridge.

Earlier, in his remarks, the chairman of the Clinton Foundation, Mr. Ira Magaziner, had expressed his happiness and willingness to support the initiative of the State Government in all the issues in its agenda. Also in attendance at the dinner were both former and serving members of the State Executive Council as well as the crème of executives from the private sector.