By Miriam Humbe
Minister of the Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal Abbas on Thursday, urged all commercial entities such as petrol stations, shopping malls alike to launch functional toilet facilities for the public as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
The Minister said this during the inter-Ministerial Press Conference to herald the celebration of the World Toilets Day which holds on November 19, annually.
The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 19th as World Toilet Day to celebrate toilets and raise awareness of the billions of people living without access to safely managed sanitation.
This year’s commemoration falls on Sunday, hence it will be commemorated in Nigeria on Tuesday 21st November, 2023.
Themed: ‘Accelerating Change’, this year’s event inspires every individual to take personal action to help improve toilets and sanitation systems.
It underscores the fact that every sector and every Nigerian can do something and has a role to play in tackling the sanitation crisis.
The Minister said: “Right now, about 4.2 billion people in the world live without safe toilets and about 48 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, as many people still use the bush and water bodies as their regular means for excreta disposal.
“This year’s World Toilet Day commemoration, therefore, presents an opportunity to bring to our consciousness that with just seven years left, the world has to work, on average, five times faster to meet the sanitation target of Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG) 6 on time”.
The Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and other stakeholders have earmarked a series of activities to mark the 2023 World Toilet Day as follows:
a) Advocacy, sensitization and sanitary inspection of federal government unity schools in FCT.
b) Ministerial press briefing to mark the 2023 World Toilet Day
c) and of course the 2023 World Toilet Day Commemoration scheduled for Tuesday, 21st November 2023 at Bolton White Hotel, Wuse, Abuja.
The Minister assured that the Federal Government of Nigeria was committed to addressing the sanitation challenges in the country and ensuring proper management of excreta.
He said: “This commitment is demonstrated by Mr. President’s declaration of a state of emergency on water, sanitation and hygiene in the country and the signing of Executive Order No. 009 on Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025.
“Equally, the Federal 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, which will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
Lawal said this therefore should stimulate and spur the government and the citizenry to action to improve and change the narratives.
He solicited the support of the Development Partners, NGOs, CSOs, the organized private sector and indeed everyone for the Sanitation programmes of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the government of Nigeria in general.
The Minister reminded all stakeholders that the countdown to 2030 has begun and we must accelerate progress to ensure everyone has access to adequate, hygienic and safe toilets by 2030.
He said: “Your positive actions – however small – will help improve toilets and sanitation systems and protect our environment. In this wise, I implore you the gentlemen of the press to sensitize and enlighten the populace on the importance of using the toilet and avoiding open defecation”.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Terlumun Utsev told the gathering that achieving universal access to sanitation services for all Nigerians depends on the contributions of multiple and interconnected actors at homes, schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities and other community settings.
He said: “This implies that everyone has a role to play, from breaking the taboo on toilets to fixing leaking water and waste pipes, emptying full septic tanks, reporting indiscriminate dumping of sludge, etc. We all can do our part in accelerating progress to safe toilets and sustainable sanitation for all.”
The Minister therefore enjoined all to be ‘Sanitation for All Advocates’ as we celebrate the 2023 World Toilet Day.
He said: “Let us join forces together to accelerate the change we want to see and ensure improved access to sanitation services and practices as an essential element of our peoples’ health and development.”
