By Faridat Salifu
On Tuesday, the 2023 World Toilet Day ceremony was held in Abuja, where Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal Abbas, addressed the nation on the urgent need to transform toilets and sanitation systems in Nigeria.
He pointed out the global sanitation crisis, with more than 4 billion people lacking access to safe toilets and 48 million Nigerians still defecating in the open.
He also unveiled a new policy that mandates all building plans in Nigeria to have toilets, as part of the government’s strategy to tackle the sanitation problem.
He stressed the need for immediate investment and innovation in the sanitation sector to improve public health and the economy.
He said that the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken steps to address sanitation issues, such as declaring a State of Emergency, revising the National Environmental Sanitation Policy, and implementing community-based interventions.
He also shared some of the achievements and challenges in the sanitation sector, such as:
A sanitary investigation of Federal Government Unity schools in the FCT revealed poor sanitation, closed toilets, inadequate water supply, and faulty septic tanks.
The Ministry and FME will continue to monitor and reward clean schools for World Toilet Day celebration.
The minister appealed to development partners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the commercial sector to promote good sanitation and hygiene practices to protect environmental health.
The minister acknowledged the current status of sanitary facilities in universities and called for immediate investment and innovation across the whole sanitation service chain.
He emphasized the importance of urban sewerage infrastructure and safe sewage collection in solving disposal issues effectively.
The minister noted issues during a sanitary inspection of Federal government unity schools in the FCT, such as closed or poorly maintained toilets and insufficient water supplies.
He instructed that schools facing similar issues take note and improve their sanitation standards.
The minister named Federal Government College Rubochi and Federal Government College Kwali as the cleanest schools in the FCT during the World Toilet Day ceremony.
The minister’s speech highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the sanitation sector, which affects public health, education, environment, and economy.
He urged all stakeholders to work together to achieve his vision of a clean Nigeria by 2030.