Nigeria Restates Commitment To Address Environmental, Open Defecation Challenges
By Stephanie Odiase
The Federal Government has restated its committed to addressing the challenges of sanitation, including ending open defecation in the country.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal stated this as part of activities lined up in Nigeria to commemorate World Toilet Day in Kano, next week. 19th November of every year is marked as World Toilet Day as designated by the United Nations.
The Minister reiterated that it is a special day to raise awareness about the critical role sanitation plays in human lives, health and the planet’s future.
The theme for the 2024 World Toilet Day is Sanitation is “Toilets: A Place for Peace” while our national slogan for this year’s event is “Use the toilet and have peace,” he said, adding that the theme emphasizes that sanitation is a critical aspect of human dignity and global security, as well as the vital connection between sanitation and peace.
While reiterating that safe toilets for all by 2030’ is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 6, he noted that unfortunately, toilets are often taken for granted, despite its role in providing essential protection for human health, safety and dignity.
“If toilet systems don’t work or don’t exist, it creates an avenue for untreated human waste to spread in the environment, resulting in deadly diseases such as cholera and typhoid… Open defecation pollutes the ecosystems, threatening biodiversity. This is evidenced by the 1.6 million annual deaths resulting from diahrroeal diseases; 50% of global malnutrition cases, increased Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR),” Balarabe said.
He further revealed that the Presidential declaration of State of emergency on water, sanitation and hygiene in the country, with the signing of the Executive Order no. 009 2019 on Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025 on 20th November 2019, would strengthen the ministry to do more on sanitation.
Meanwhile, the 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.
It has also solicited for community based intervention on control of Open Defecation programme 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 in order to end open defecation in Nigeria by 2025.
According to the ministry’s Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Ibrahim Haruna, activities lined up to mark the World Toilet Day include advocacy, sensitization and sanitary inspection of public places in Kano State,community outreach/ sensitization and children and youth engagement through social media
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