By Bisola Adeyemo
As the world marks the awareness of World Toilet Day, NatureNews has assessed public toilets maintenance in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
World Toilet Day is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
This year, the campaign draws attention to the fact that toilets and sanitation systems are underfunded, poorly managed or neglected in many parts of the world particularly in Nigeria.
This has devastating consequences for health, economics and the environment, particularly in the poorest and most marginalized communities.
Speaking with Ayo Orija, a manager in one of the public toilet in Jabi garage, Abuja, said human safety and sanitation are part of the reasons for establishing public toilets, while providing an environment for healthy living and well being.
“In our best, we ensure proper hygiene and maintenance. Here we have 16 toilets which are properly maintained.
“We don’t force any of our cleaners to work because the salary is based on commission, due to this all hand always on the deck to give our customers the best.
“Cleaning is done at midnight not to distract customer in day time and after which we spray disinfectant and airfreshners everywhere to prevent unpleasant odor and insects.”
While highlighting their challenges, Orija said “the challenges we are facing is using toilets without flushing. Most customers expect we the workers to do the flushing which is not too good.
“This toilet facility is privately owned and we usually have steady light to pump water, but customers are making the work too difficult and uninteresting for us.
“Either private or public toilets, we operate on the same amount which is 50 Naira for excretion and bathing while 30 naira goes for urination.”
Another public toilet manager in Kabusa community in Abuja, Abubarkar Lawal, also stated that “we ensure proper sanitation and the cleanliness of the environment, washing and cleaning is twice a day, we get our soap, detergent and other items from the money we are generating after we might have paid government revenue, deduct our salary and the remaining would be sent across to our boss who is based in Lagos.
“This is a government owned public toilet, we usually generate at least eight thousand to ten thousand Naira in a week, particularly during market days.”
Reacting, a customer stated that using public toilets is not safe, “many of the workers do not properly keep the toilets clean, a month can pass without washing, what they do is pouring water to flush without washing thoroughly.
“Public toilets maintenance is becoming complex. All public toilets should be under government control, well educated people should be in charge monitoring every activities.
“I haven’t seen a properly cleaned public toilet, I only use based on emergency,” Mrs Maria Emmanuel said.