From Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, has been honoured with “Outstanding Governor In The Field Of Environmental Health” award by Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, EHOAN, South West Zone.
The award was presented to Adeleke at the 8th South West Conference/Scientific Workshop, Osogbo 2025, which took place in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The award recognised Governor Adeleke’s exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development in Osun State.
The Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, who received the award on the governor’s behalf, said, “I am privileged and delighted to receive this award on behalf of Governor Adeleke”.
He said, “This recognition underscores the significant strides that Osun State has made in environmental health conservation and sustainable practices, as well as healthy living”.
The governor said his administration will continue to prioritise environmental health through strategic policies and innovative programmes designed to meet the specific needs of the state.
“We have advocated comprehensive waste management reforms, ensuring that our urban and rural areas are cleaner and healthier, while our administration has made substantial progress in enhancing waste management system, alternative water supply (motorised boreholes). Initiatives such as the implementation of advanced waste collection mechanisms, collaborations with private waste management entities and community based waste degradation programmes have significantly improved sanitation standards throughout the state”.
In his opening address, President of EHOAN in the South West, Sanitarian Akinwumi Temitope, appealed to the governor to employ more environmental health officers for them to fill up the vacancies in all the local government areas.
Sanitarian Akinwumi, who described Adeleke as the most popular governor in the country, commended his five-integral action plan which has brought developmental revolution to the entire Osun State and for allowing environmental health officers in local government areas to supervise the drilling and installation of 664 motorised boreholes.
The EHOAN president, while enumerating some of his achievements, said they were able to inaugurate South West EHOAN Council of Elders, purchase a land to build EHOAN South West Secretariat at Badeku, Ibadan, Oyo State and foundation laying among others.
While delivering a royal message, the Arole Oduduwa and Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II represented by Oba Adekunle Adebowale described the environmental health officers as God sent towards the protection of the people from untimely death, saying a good environment will lead to healthy living.
The Head of Service, Mr Samuel Aina, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Human Resources, charged the environmental health officers to be up and doing to their responsibilities and not relent towards making Osun clean.
The conference had as theme, “Circular Economy and Environmental Health Entrepreneurship: Pathways to innovations, Skills Development and National Growth”.
The workshop brought together, environmental health experts, policy makers and stakeholders to discuss and propose solutions to pressing environmental challenges at the global, national, state and local levels.
