The new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that open defecation is still being practised in 669 local government areas in the country is an indication that Nigeria may not achieve the UN goal of ending open defecation by 2030. Out of the nation’s 774 local government areas, only 105 have been validated Open Defecation Free (ODF).
The Officer in charge of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Clement Adams, stated this at a media dialogue in Azare, Bauchi State, on this year’s World Toilet Day (WTD). The WTD is celebrated on 19 November every year to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and reach the 3.5 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation. Established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001, WTD was made an official United Nations Observance in 2013. Every year, the UN-Water sets the theme for World Toilet Day.
The theme of the 2023 WTD is ‘Accelerating Change.’ The hummingbird is the symbol of World Toilet Day and World Water Day 2023. Just like the way the hummingbird tackles a problem, everyone can do something to tackle the sanitation crisis. The UN says that right now, there are 3.5 billion people still living without safe toilets. At the same time, about 419 million people still practise ‘open defecation.’ In Nigeria, about 48 million people still practise open defecation, mostly in the rural areas. But the number is likely to be more than the official figure, considering our poor statistical culture. Open defecation is now brazenly practised in some parts of Lagos State, mostly by street urchins and the homeless.
The UN also points out that in these situations, diseases spread, killing 1,000 children under-five every single day. It further says that the global crisis poses a threat to nature and everyone’s health, particularly women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. The sanitation crisis is more acute in Nigeria where millions of people lack access to clean water and have to depend on polluted water sources for their daily water needs.
It is a big shame that in the so-called giant of Africa, millions of its citizens do not have access to clean toilets. That is why open defecation is widely practised in the country. Even people practise it in the urban areas of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Onitsha and others. This is happening in a country where federal lawmakers budgeted over N56 billion to purchase exotic SUVs for themselves.
With seven years left to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal number 6, which entails the provision of safe toilets and water for all by 2030, we task the federal, state and local governments to ensure that this goal is achieved. Good enough, we have the resources to achieve it.
The president and the 36 state governors must take urgent actions to ensure that that we accelerate progress to ensure that every Nigerian has safe toilets and water by 2030. No doubt, sanitation and drinking water are human rights, and access to these services is critical to people’s health as well as the integrity of the environment. The chairmen of the local governments where open defecation is still in practice must lead the campaign to end the unhygienic practice forthwith.
Open defecation is dangerous to the health of the people and the integrity of the environment. It can pollute streams and other sources of water for rural dwellers. It can equally spread diseases. Providing access to safe and clean toilets will prevent, children, girls and women being attacked and abused if they go into the bushes to defecate.
We urge the federal and state governments to build more toilets in schools, bus stops, markets, motor parks and other public places to increase access to safe and clean toilets. In the rural areas, it is the duty of the local governments to provide safe and clean toilets in schools, markets and motor parks and other public places.
The state governments may also consider the reintroduction of sanitary inspectors that will help to ensure public hygiene. The federal government should lead a national action against open defecation in the country by providing enough funds to improve access to clean water and sanitation. Ending open defecation in Nigeria by 2030 is realistic and achievable.