There is pandemonium in Lagos State in the world of rats as the state government introduces “Buy Rats Make Money” initiative, a move to curb the rat menace in the city.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Phosgard Fumigants Nig. Ltd., Oluwasegun Benson, the “Buy Rats Make Money” initiative is environmental friendly and safe for humans.
Benson, whose company is partnering with the state government in the project made the assertion on the sidelines of the flag off of the exercise at Obalende Market on Thursday.
The vector control programme had no side effect on the market women, adding that evacuation of the dead rats would be done by its officials.
“The scheme is environmental friendly and safe. We have distributed flyers on how the market women will go about it and how it works.
“What we do is to have the fumigation when the market is closed, that is from dusk to dawn. What the market women will only come to see are dead rats.
“They will not realise anything untoward, the only evidence are the dead rats which we have warned them not to pick with bare hands. They should pick them with hand gloves.
“We will be on ground to evacuate the dead rats and bury them. We are not going to incinerate them but we’ll rather bury them.
“Dead rats decompose to sand within six months,’’ he said.
Benson said that the exercise would be done monthly around the markets so that the rats are not given room to breed until the environment was fully safe from the vectors.
“The programme has to be monthly because rodents have a life cycle of a month. If we say we want it quarterly, that means what we are doing will be counterproductive.
“We don’t want any breeding place for these rodents in our community again, so, the campaign will be rigorous to ensure that we live in a safe environment.
“In the light of this, we are also looking forward to having environmental champions who are to compete on having the best record in this effort aimed at a vector-free environment.
“We want each local government to produce champions which will show what they are contributing to make the environment safe. This will encourage many others to follow suit,’’ he said.
Benson appealed to corporate organisations to support the government’s initiative aimed at improving the health of the society.
“I want to appeal to corporate organisations to see this initiative as a programme meant for all and not for one.
“Environmental protection is the business for all and we must all rise to do our part not only for government alone. The private organisations should leverage on government good intentions.
“We have also met with the market women on the buy rats programme and also the token to be paid for the exercise which is pocket friendly.
“The exercise is almost free because the token paid will also be returned through the “Buy Rats Make Money’’ offered,’’
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