IGP’s Wife Charges Officers’ Wives on Environmental Hygiene

Rebecca Ejifoma

(Right) Bar. Ibrahim Idris and Mrs. Edgal flanked by other senior officers' wives during the commissioning of the Water Project at Highway Police Barracks, Ikeja Lagos.

Wife of Inspector General of Police and National President of Police Wives Association (POWA), Barrister Asmau Ndayako Ibrahim Idris, has cautioned all wives of Police officers in Lagos State to maintain a hygienic lifestyle with constant environmental sanitation as efforts to rid off illnesses caused by such diseases. 

She said this during the President routine Tour to Lagos state for Flag-off of Environmental Sanitation and Barracks Inspection, Commissioning of the Water Project and Economic Empowerment of Police Wives Association (PWA) members in Lagos at Oduduwa Ikeja GRA, Lagos. 

“You should maintain a healthy environment at all times. It is said that cleanliness is next to Godliness. We are aware that 50 per cent of diseases in African can be eradicated by cleanliness. Diseases like malaria, diarrhea and vomiting, skin rashes among others are linked to dirty environment. 

Idris, therefore, said that it was imperative for them all to ensure the health of their husbands and families is in good shape by keeping a clean environment. “So, as I flag off this environmental sanitation today, I implore the Lagos State POWA members to make it a duty to keep their environment clean. This must be followed by regular routine barracks inspection.”

On the commissioning of the water project at the Highway Police Barracks, the National President quoted: “Water is life. We need water to keep a clean environment. Communities without good water supply are more afflicted with communicable diseases.”

Therefore, as the National President, she commended the Lagos Commissioner of Police wife, Mrs. Mary Edgal, for her laudable programmes in such a short period she came in. “I encourage other chairpersons to emulate her. I have no doubt from what I have seen that she will take POWA in Lagos to enviable heights.”

Meanwhile, wife of CP Lagos, Mrs. Edgal, described POWA as a platform that tries to make life easier by providing adequate tools for financial and social development, adding that cleanliness of their environment and the barracks lies in their hands. 

She expressed further that the kitchen and the food consumed must be done under good hygienic conditions. “Even the clothes of our husbands must be well-washed and cared for. Even our body must be well-cared for. Let us keep the barracks clean. 

IG’s wife said: “The officers’ wives need to live in a healthy environment so that you will look healthy. Health is wealth. That is why we have brought this team of medical personnel here.”

Tools for environmental sanitation donated to both POWA and PWA

Some of the rules listed out to the wives. They included: once a child attains age 18, he or she should be provided a place to stay outside the barracks, no selling of things in the barracks, except in Mami market; no drinking of alcohol or playing of cards in the barracks, no bringing in of more than one wife to the barracks – only the first wife and her children can live with the officer in the barracks among others.

On the empowerment, the IG's wife said: “We try to keep police wives busy by empowering them. And we try to make life easier for them by providing basic social amenities in their environment, hence, this step today.”

According to her, POWA is an NGO aimed at empowering the less-privileged economically among the force including inspectors’ wives and rank and file; to sponsor and promote ideas, initiatives and programmes that will bring about social, developmental aônd behavioural changes in the society.

Wives of police Officers at the Flag off in Lagos

With such gesture, “The economic pressure would reduce on their husbands, giving them enough time to concentrate on the very demanding jobs of securing the lives and properties of Nigerians. It is not good for a woman to be idle. You need to be empowered for financial and social change.”

According to her, in these days of domestic violence, when a woman is empowered it reduces crime. “It reduces economic stress. Mrs. Edgal knows the importance of women empowerment and coming up with projects that will touch the lives of our women positively. Women should not be idle.”

Among other things, the women were given several empowerment tools like grinding machines, deep freezers and hand sawing machines. Also, a team of medical experts from Police Hospital Area F gave a free medical check up and health talk on the virulent Monkeypox, hypertension, diabetes among other common diseases.

Officers' wives undergoing medical check up

Medical experts like ASP Egoh Ifeoma Unini and a Microbiologist/Virologist, ASP Innocent Eyo gave the women free medical check ups on their blood measurement and malaria test among others. They talked to the women about personal hygiene and environmental sanitation against rodents, mosquitoes. 

Above all, Dr. Unini urged the women to control their weight as over weight leads to hypertension.