LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin By Oyebola Owolabi
The Lagos State government has promised to intensify efforts at building a resilient city by eliminating open defecation and prioritising good sanitation practices across the state.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab stated this at the 2024 World Toilet Day celebrations, themed ‘Use the Toilet and have Peace’. According to Wahab, the government would continue to proffer solutions to all sanitation challenges across the state.
According to a recent national survey on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routing Mapping (WASHNORM) 2021, three per cent of open defecation is in Lagos.
Wahab explained that in addressing the menace, the government has designed four cardinal roadmaps of Advocacy/Sensitization; Bridging Infrastructure Gap; Standardisation and Regularisation of existing facilities, and ensuring Adequate Monitoring and Enforcement. He noted that the ministry has further taken the campaign to the grassroots by launching the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign’ in 13 of the 20 local government areas.
He added that the ministry also organised developmental training for 250 Public Toilet Operators and janitors, as well as rolled out a comprehensive Operational Guidelines to guide the operation of public toilets to achieve an effective service delivery.
In 2024, the ministry ensured the upgrade and regularisation of 16 privately-owned public toilets, and added that efforts to bridge the infrastructure gap will be intensified with the construction of 100 toilets units.
Wahab noted that each celebration of the World Toilet Day highlights the importance of toilets, and raises awareness about the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely-managed sanitation.
The commissioner also said the day is about taking actions to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.
Wahab also said the indiscriminate open defecation across the metropolis has become pronounced in various open spaces due to the daily influx of people into the state.
“When sanitation services are destroyed, damaged or disrupted, untreated human waste spreads in the environment, unleashing deadly diseases such as cholera, diarrhea which affects community health and the well-being of citizens,” he lamented.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji, noted that access to safe and clean toilets is essential in achieving peace of mind and well-being of all.
Reckitt Category Manager (Sub-Saharan Africa) Mr. Naz Asim, noted the ‘WTD serves as a reminder of the need to take action to tackle the sanitation challenges in our respective corners of the world as our own contribution to addressing the global sanitation crisis’.
He also said the theme urges governments to ensure that sanitation and water services are resilient, effective, accessible to all, and protected from harm.
Asim added that Reckitt remains committed to driving change through sanitary and hygiene advocacy, by reducing open defecation in Nigeria through public education, sensitisation campaign and the donation of public toilets.
“Today, we renew our commitment to achieving a cleaner and healthier environment as we continue to educate and enlighten Nigerians on the need to imbibe hygienic sanitary habits,” he added.
Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Prof. Basirat Oladipupo, who was the guest lecturer, said where people lack access to toilets, at unhygenic facilities, thereby exposing themselves and others to dangerous pathogens.
She stressed that safe toilets provide a secure, private space, especially for women, girls, and the elderly, as well as promoting gender equality, social equity and inclusiveness.
The don thus admonished the government to focus more on providing sub-urban and rural areas with accessible toilet facilities to curb open defecation in the state.
