Reps, Ministry of Environment Move to Tackle Open Defecation.
** 48 million Nigerian citizens have no toliet facilities-Minister
Chigozie Amadi
The House of Representatives Committee on Environment and some relevant House Committees and other key stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Environment have decried the prevalence of open defecation by many Nigerians and foreigners residing in Nigeria describing it as a hazardous environmental practice that must be stopped at all cost.
They condemned the practice and called on all the relevant stakeholders including National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency NESREA to live to its responsibility of enforcement of environmental safety laws on such harmful practices.
The Speaker of the House Hon Abbas Tajudeen and the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment Hon.Julius Pondi spoke at the public hearing on Thursday with the theme: ‘The Need to End Open Defecation And Increase the Number of Toilets Annually’ at the National Assembly.
The speaker stated that the growing incidences of open defecation is posing grave heath risks to the nation’s citizens and is also undermining the dignity and quality of life of the people of the country.
He further stated that as a representative of the people, he firmly believes that citizens should have good toilet facilities and and also be able to maintain a high level of personal hiegene.
Also speaking in a remark, Chairman of the House Committee on Environment Hon.Julius Pondi stated that the House in its referral to the Committee has urged the governments at all levels and private individuals to embark on agressive rural water projects that would ensure that each community is provided water and functioning toilet facilities.
He also stated that the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and other relevant agencies should give proper sensitization on open defecation in the communities for heigene and safety.
The Minsiter of State for Environment Mr Ishaq Adekunle Salako stated that the issue of eradication of open defecation is one one of the core mandate of the Ministry.
He decried the prevalence of open defecation noting that a report by UNICEF has said that 48 million Nigerian citizens do not have access to toilet facilities and are involved in the harmful environmental practice.
He added that Federal Ministry of Environment is had marshalled out an environmental waste management system through the Environmental Control Department of the Ministry.
The Minister further assured that House that the ministry is committed ending the menace of open defecation in 2025 adding that it is constructing toilets accoss the states and local government councils across the federation.
Hee said: “We are aware that as regulators the services of Environmental Health Officers have not been effectively utilized. There is need for the re-introduction of Sanitary Inspectors at the local government councils.
“Nigeria has only one year to end open defecation. Our approach must therefore change to open sensitization on construction of public toilets. We must insist that we must biuld toilets in our homes”
The Chairman of the House Committee Hon Pondi and the other lawmaker who grilled the invited stakeholders on the issue later assured that the inputs garnered by the invited government agencies and other entities would help to provide the legal framework for waste disposal and management in the country.
