…Imo Govt describes association as important segment of society
By Jude Onyenedogha
The Association of Environmental Health Officers of Nigeria, Imo State chapter has embarked on membership verification exercise. The exercise which commenced yesterday, August 31 is expected to last till Thursday September 3.
Speaking during the exercise at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, New Owerri, the Imo State President of the association, Sanitarian Ada Echebima said the exercise was intended to ensure that those rendering environmental health services in the state are qualified professionals.
She outlined the steps of qualifying as a professional to include; obtaining a Bsc Environmental Health or its equivalent from appropriate Higher institutions, registering with the regulatory body and obtaining the professional license.
She used the opportunity to inform the general public that environmental health officers are still very much around; in the communities, LGAs, at the OCDA, Ministry of Environment, hospitals, among other places.
The Imo State President lauded Imo State Government for its friendly disposition to the profession and the association, describing it as environmental health friendly governor, which is evident by the number of members of the association in the employ of the state government.
She however pleaded with the government to employ more younger officers, as most of the current employees are on level 14 and above, meaning that their retirement is approaching, while there are over 600 qualified environmental health officers who are unemployed.
She said employing more professionals will help cover the gap in their activities, due to inadequate number of employees.
Fielding questions from newsmen the resourced person handling the verification, Sanitarian Dr. Isaiah Abonyi, Secretary Environmental Health Officers Association, South East zone and a lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State said the exercise was intended to ensure that their members are up to date with all the professional requirements to practice.
He said the screening involves checking the employment profile of those under the employ of the state government, checking the status of their registration with the association and with the regulatory body- Environmental Health Council of Nigeria.
He lauded members of the association in Imo State for their level of compliance, as he noted that he had only seen very few practitioners who are not registered with the association and the regulatory body.
Abonyi encouraged those who were yet to renew their licences up to date (2026) to do that without any further delay, adding that those concerned have promised to do so, as soon as they receive their August salaries.
Speaking, the Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Uloma Evi-Parker who represented the Commissioner for Health said the Imo State Ministry of Health is pleased with the association for carrying out the verification exercise, which she said will go a long way in curbing quakery in environmental health practice in the state.
She posited that Environmental Health Officers are very important segment of the health sector, the communities and society at large, as they are the advocates for hygiene and safety of the society.
Adding his voice, the Imo State financial secretary of the association, Sanitarian Eleonu Kingsley disclosed that the association is the umbrella body of all environmental health officers, both employed and applicants.
He added that the association is interested in the welfare of members, as regards protecting their jobs, reason for the exercise, to ensure that all who are employed by Imo State Government as environmental health officers have their requisite licences.
Eleonu advocated for the employment of its members in the area of waste management, paste control, environmental sanitation, regulation of food safety and hygiene, water Sanitation and hygiene activities.
He stressed that environmental health services is not an all comers affairs, as there are professionals who have been trained by undergoing the rigorous processes of becoming a professional in the system.
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