The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has
urged stakeholders to collaborate in providing adequate toilets, to stem
open defecation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
AEPB Director, Ali Kaka, made the call in Abuja, on Monday, while marking the 2021 World Toilet Day.
Kaka noted that the day was set aside by the UN General
Assembly to be observed on Nov.19 every year, and this year’s theme:
“Valuing Toilet”, was meant to raise awareness amongst the about 3.6
billion people globally living without access to safely managed
sanitation.
He said that the aim was also to sensitise the public to
provide and use toilets always, so as to achieve an open
defecation-free environment.
The AEPB director stated that the board began the
commemoration on Nov. 18, with various activities, such as creating
awareness in FCT communities on the importance of access to toilets.
”We also engaged some government schools on essay competition, on the importance of valuing the toilet,” the director said..
He further added that the world toilet day was about
taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and to achieve
sustainable development goal (SDG) six, ”water and sanitation” for all
by 2030.
“This year’s campaign draws attention to the fact that
toilets and the sanitation system that support them are underfunded,
poorly managed or neglected in many parts of the country.
“Today, the FCT administration, having observed the
problems associated with open defecation deemed it fit to call on
stakeholders to deliberate on investing resources on the provision of
more toilets.
“The effort will enable us curb open defecation that is being practiced here and avoid diseases associated with it,” he said.
Kaka advised FCT residents to invest in the provision of
adequate sanitation systems at their various homes, communities,
schools, markets areas and other public places.
Dr Joy Okoro, Managing Director, FCT Water Board, said
that toilets could not be maintained without adequate access to water,
noting that most people still don’t have access to toilets.
Okoro said that the only way to address the menace of
open defecation was for relevant stakeholders to effectively
collaborate, construct public toilets and increase awareness on the
importance of maintaining them.
“We need a strong collaboration by other relevant
stakeholders; we also need to work on our attitude, educate our people,
especially our children who are of tender age.
“We need to teach them that it is wrong to defecate
anyhow and anywhere, let them know that the toilet is the best place to
defecate. With the effort, they will know the right thing to do and in
doing that children can also emulate the habit,” she said.
Also, Aminu Musa, Chairman, FCT Public
Convenience Maintenance Association, said that stakeholders should
endeavour to collaborate to achieve the goal of ending open defecation
by 2025.
Musa, represented by Usman Umar, General Secretary of
the association, also called on the government and the private sector
to work together to ensure success in the construction of public
toilets.
The AEPB
engaged three Government Secondary Schools, on essay competition on
importance of valuing toilet, as part of the activities to mark event.
The schools are – Government Science Secondary School,
Garki, Model Secondary School, Maitama and Government Science Secondary
School (Pyakasa), Maitama, all in the FCT.
Meanwhile, Government Science Secondary School, Pyakasa, came first in the essay competition.
