Sanitation: Methodist Church women comes to the rescue of Umuahia

Ahead of 2017 Women’s Day celebration, the entire women of Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuahia Diocese last Saturday joined in the March edition of the state’s monthly cleanup exercise by cleaning and evacuating various refuse heaps that dot Umuahia metropolis, especially Umuahia city centre.
Speaking during the exercise, Public Relations Officer of the Women Fellowship Organisation of the Diocese of Umuahia Methodist Church Nigeria, Mrs. Oluchi Goddy Ezeocha, said that by implication, by the time they are cleaning the environment, they are also cleaning themselves.
She said also that by coming to clean the environment, the Lord is also spiritually cleaning their hearts and planting new health in them, pointing out that the state is dirty and is not as clean as it should be and that by coming to the assistance of the state government in sanitation matters, health issues will be on the better side.
While urging other people to help Umuahia to be clean, she disclosed that the Women Fellowship group decided to also commemorate their 2017 Women’s Day with the exercise and as a way to partner the state government to ensure the good heath of residents.
Speaking while monitoring the exercise, the state Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Gab Igboko, commended the Methodist women over the initiative and urged other women groups in other churches to emulate them.
He expressed his excitement that the support is coming from the diocesan women led by the wife of the Bishop few weeks after their enthronement and described it as a welcome development.
He said he would not underrate the force of women in the church and the society and thanked the wife of the Bishop, Ezinne Alice Opoko, for organising the women of Methodist Church to compliment government efforts in keeping the state clean.
Also speaking, the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, thanked the Methodist Church women for coming to the assistance of the state government in keeping the state clean.
In a telephone interview, the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Prince Ikechukwu Apugo, who spoke for the Governor, said the state government is happy over the initiative and expressed the readiness of the government to partner the women and others in other churches over the exercise. He stated that the cleanliness of the state is a priority of the state government as the governor cannot preside over unhealthy citizens who must be healthy before talking of other infrastructures.
Prince Apugo said ASEPA would continue to do all it can to make the city the cleanest in the country, stating that resources has been directed towards this area for effective exercises at the months ahead.
He urged residents to shun the act of burning or putting hot or inflammable materials into the ASEPA bins, as well as to ensure they put their refuse into the bin instead dumping them on the ground around the bins.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals, Dame Chimechefulam Nwoko, the Methodist women had made her realise that they are exemplary and are women of God, and commended the wife of the Bishop of the Diocese for organising the women to help the state government over the sanitation exercise.
“What she did has added a new look and colour to the environment”, Dame Nwoko said and urged them to continue with the initiative as women who are clean in their homes and love cleanliness.
She disclosed that her ministry will discuss with them so that in future sanitation exercises, their women, as well as other organisations will join the ministry in achieving a health of the generality of Abians.
In his contribution, Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Hon. Chidiebere Nwachukwu, appreciated the efforts of the Methodist women, disclosing that the council had given them encouragement financially and otherwise and urged other organisations, men or women to emulate them.