THE Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to eradicating open defecation and promoting good sanitation practices in the State.
According to media reports, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this yesterday at the 2024 World Toilet Day celebration held in Alausa, Ikeja.
He stated that the Government would continue to tackle sanitation challenges across Lagos while emphasising the significance of World Toilet Day in raising awareness about the 4.2 billion people globally without access to safely managed sanitation.
He noted that this year’s national theme, “Use the Toilet and Have Peace”, underscores the impact of climate change, conflict, and neglect on sanitation services.
He highlighted the rising cases of open defecation in Lagos, attributed to the State’s daily influx of migrants, and cited a 2021 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) survey that recorded a three per cent open defecation rate in Lagos.
“When sanitation services are disrupted, untreated human waste spreads, causing deadly diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea, which jeopardise public health,” Wahab warned.
To combat the issue, Wahab outlined a four-pronged approach involving advocacy, infrastructure development, standardisation of facilities, and monitoring and enforcement.
He revealed that the State has launched the “Clean Nigeria, Use the Toilet” campaign in 13 local councils and organised training for 250 public toilet operators and janitors.
Additionally, the State upgraded 16 privately owned public toilets and initiated the construction of 100 new toilet units. The Ministry also cleaned several open defecation black spots and deployed anti-open defecation squads to areas like Lagos Island and Ojodu Berger.
Wahab acknowledged the contributions of private organisations, including Reckitt Nigeria, which co-organised the event and commended community-based organisations for their support in sanitation advocacy.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Office of Environmental Services, Dr Gaji Omobolaji, urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to ensure access to safe sanitation for all.
Also, Reckitt’s Category Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Nas Hassim, stressed the need for continued advocacy, highlighting Reckitt’s efforts in reducing open defecation through public education and toilet donations.
Guest lecturer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Basirat Oladipupo, emphasised the role of safe toilets in promoting public health, gender equality, and social equity.
The event reinforced the State’s commitment to achieving an Open Defecation Free (ODF) Lagos by 2030.
GUARDIAN
