The National President of the Pest Control Association of Nigeria, PECAN Dr. Tokunbo Olawale Coker has advised government at all levels to recognize and support and pest control business.

He also advised that the association should be seen as partner in progress with government in complementing its efforts in safeguarding the environment.

Dr. Coker made this known in an interview granted in Lagos recently.

He lamented the lack of recognition by the government and the public which consequently affected the growth of the association and the business in general.

He said, “The environmental officers under the government believe that we want to take their job, but actual fact, we are complementing each others work. So we are working to let them know that we are partners in progress.”

The veterinary surgeon also lamented the activities quacks in the business, whose actions he said are detrimental to the environment.

“Those quacks just want to live and they damage the environment because people like cheap things. They mix all sorts of concoction and destroy your home just because their charges are peanuts compared to what a professional will chare.” He explained.

On the efforts of the association to enlighten the public about pest control management, Dr. Coker stated that his association organizes workshop once in a while, but needed funds to do more.

“There is nothing you do without money. If we have the finance, we can buy a page in a national daily newspaper once in a month and people will be aware. But what we are doing is that we educate our clients, we tell them of the equipment in this business.

“That is the approach we are using for now. We make them know the difference that we don’t just come into their home and pump chemicals.”

He explains further, “I will also like to say that, a pest has three characteristics; it destroys, it transmits diseases; and it’s a nuisance. Now, what most people consider in Nigeria is its destructive aspect. The disease transmitting aspect is not considered.

“Very few people know that cockroach can be source of allergy. So for people to be able to understand us and our job, they must recognize the environment and the pest. What I’m saying in effect is what prompt an average Nigerian to call a pest manager is the destructive aspect, not the disease.

“And what annoys most people is when they are having meeting in their office or home and a cockroach runs around, that is the nuisance aspect. That is what they don’t like. The disease aspect is very significant but the consideration given to it is still very low.”

He therefore advised the populace and the government to always seek professional advice by consulting PECAN members for pest control business.