By Fatima Saka
Minister, Federal Ministry of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal Abbas, has revealed that over 48 million Nigerians still indulge in open defecation, hereby call for action to curb the menace, as it increases the death mortality of children through contagious disease such as diarrhea and cholera outbreak.
He emphasized that in the public and private sectors, individuals across the country have a role to play in tackling the sanitation crisis.
The minister made this call on Thursday in Abuja during the Ministerial Press Briefing in Commemoration of The 2023 World Toilet Day. Revolving the theme of this year: “Accelerating Change”
Speaking further on the theme, Balarabe stressed that it is a right as it inspires every individual to take personal action to help improve toilets and sanitation systems.
The minister decried that the sanitation crisis poses a threat to the natural environment and the health of citizens, particularly women, girls and other vulnerable groups.
He further reiterated that one of the major consequences of poor excreta and sewage disposal is the high rate of diarrhea disease which is the second cause of high morbidity and mortality rates among children under the age of five.
“The persistent re-occurrence of annual incidences of cholera outbreaks in some of our states are also manifestations of inadequate toilet facilities. Yet this could also be prevented through safe excreta disposal by every individual.
“This year’s World Toilet Day commemoration, therefore, presents an opportunity to bring to our consciousness that with just seven years left, the world has to work, on average, five times faster to meet the sanitation target of SDG 6 on time. This therefore should stimulate and spur the government and the citizenry to action to improve and change the narratives.
“Distinguished Members of the press, toilets are a foundation stone of public health and they play an important role in protecting the environment. They effectively and hygienically remove human waste away from the home, reducing the exposure our loved ones have to human waste and diseases.
“Unfortunately, toilets and the sanitation systems that support them are underfunded, poorly managed or neglected in many parts of the world including Nigeria with devastating consequences for health, economics and the environment particularly in the poorest and most marginalized communities. Right now, about 4.2 billion people in the world live without safe toilets and about 48 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, as many people still use the bush and water bodies as their regular means for excreta disposal.
“Many institutions, public and private, do not have sanitary facilities and where they exist they are either not functioning or misused. Most urban areas do not have sewerage systems and safe collection of sewage.
“Therefore, disposal becomes a huge challenge as many of the water bodies including rivers and streams become a repository for sewage and wastewater.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to addressing the sanitation challenges in the country and ensuring proper management of excreta. This commitment is demonstrated by Mr. President’s declaration of a state of emergency on water, sanitation and hygiene in the country and the signing of Executive Order No. 009 on Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025.
“Equally, the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with critical stakeholders has reviewed and validated the 2005 National Environmental Sanitation Policy including its policy guidelines on safe excreta and sewage disposal, which will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment is also continuing with its community-based intervention on the control of open defecation programmes as well as the Clean and Green Programme aimed among others at promoting the provision of safe and adequate toilets across the country, particularly in public places and ensuring proper excreta management. Modern public toilets have been provided in communities and markets across the Federation under these programmes. To strengthen the capacity of our Environmental Health Officers, this year, the Ministry renewed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India on technology transfer, technical assistance, capacity building and research development in areas of water, sanitation and environmental management. The CSE has conducted specialized training on affordable toilet designs and fecal sludge management and reuse for at least fifty (50) Environmental Health Officers and Sanitation Desk Officers across the 36 States’ Ministry of Environment including FCT.
” I am using this opportunity to appeal to all National, State and Local Government stakeholders in environmental sanitation not only to do the talking but take practical steps and actions individually and collectively as agents of change to ensure everyone has access to toilets in their domain. Likewise, all commercial entities such as petrol stations, shopping malls etc are encouraged to launch functional toilet facilities for the public as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to also use this opportunity to inform you that issues of open defecation in Nigeria will no longer be business as usual as the Federal Ministry of Environment will henceforth deploy all its regulatory framework to ensure adequate enforcement of sanitation laws in the country.
‘I therefore call on all Environmental Health Officers/Sanitary inspectors across all levels of government to step up their routine sanitary inspection of premises in their various jurisdictions and ensure that everyone everywhere in Nigeria has access to safe toilets.
“For this year’s event here in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and other stakeholders has earmarked a series of activities to mark the 2023 World Toilet Day as follows:
“Advocacy, sensitization and sanitary inspection of federal government unity schools in FCT.
“Ministerial press briefing to mark the 2023 World Toilet Day.
“and of course the 2023 World Toilet Day Commemoration scheduled for Tuesday, 21st November 2023 at Bolton White Hotel, Wuse, Abuja.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I want to use the opportunity of this event to solicit the support of the Development Partners, NGOs, CSOs, the organized private sector and indeed everyone for the Sanitation programmes of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the government of Nigeria in general.
“Finally let me remind all stakeholders here that the countdown to 2030 has begun and we must accelerate progress to ensure everyone has access to adequate, hygienic and safe toilets by 2030.
“Sanitation is a human right, and access to these services is critical to people’s health, business and the integrity of the environment. Your positive actions – however small – will help improve toilets and sanitation systems and protect our environment. In this wise, I implore you the gentlemen of the press to sensitize and enlighten the populace on the importance of using the toilet and avoiding open defecation.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this auspicious occasion of the year 2023 World Toilet Day Ministerial Press Briefing. As you all know the United Nations General Assembly has designated November 19th as World Toilet Day to celebrate toilets and raise awareness of the billions of people living without access to safely managed sanitation. This year’s commemoration falls on Sunday, hence it will be commemorated in Nigeria on Tuesday 21st November, 2023.”
