The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has declared the federal government’s opposition to the problem of open defecation in the country, warning that the ministry will henceforth deploy all regulatory framework to ensure the enforcement of sanitation laws in the country.
Lawal stated this while commemorating the 2024 World Toilet Day in Kano, organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, UNICEF and other partners.
The minister therefore directed environmental health and sanitary officers across all levels of government to step up routine sanitary inspection and ensure accessibility to safe public toilets.
Represented by the ministry’s Director, Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Bahija Abubakar, the minister also stressed the need for a deliberate commitment and actions to meet SDG six goals on safe toilet and water for all by 2030.
He noted that, 3.5 billion people lack safely managed sanitation globally, while 47 million people in Nigeria still practice open defecation.
“One of the major consequences of poor excreta and sewage disposal is the high rate of diarrheal disease which is the second cause of high morbidity and mortality rates among children under the age of five.
“The persistent reoccurrence of annual incidences of cholera outbreaks in some of our states including Kano State are also manifestations of inadequate toilet facilities,” he added.
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Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran, emphasized the importance of toilet availability and its proper utilization, which he said is key to promoting public wellbeing, public health and preventing the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis, among others.
Gov. Yusuf said with support from the UNICEF and community leaders, the state has encouraged behavioural change and has been declared open defecation free in 27 local government areas of the state.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Environment, Nasiru Garo, said the occasion serves as a reminder for collective action to safeguard the environment and promote behavioral change in sanitation and hygiene practices among the citizenry.
The event featured the presentation of open defecation free certificates to 16 local government areas th attained the status of open defecation free in the last two year in the state.
