The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to building a resilient city by eliminating open defecation and promoting good sanitation practices across the state.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised this on Tuesday during the 2024 World Toilet Day celebration held at Alausa, Ikeja.
He assured that the government remains dedicated to addressing all sanitation challenges in Lagos.
According to WHO and UNICEF data from 2023, at least 3.5 billion people globally still lack access to safely managed sanitation, with 419 million engaging in open defecation.
Additionally, 2.2 billion people are without safely managed drinking water, including 115 million who rely on surface water sources.
Wahab highlighted that World Toilet Day is an opportunity to underscore the importance of toilets, raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis, and push for action toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.
He noted that open defecation remains a significant issue in Lagos due to the steady influx of people into the state.
A recent national survey, the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) 2021, reported that Lagos State has a 3 percent prevalence of open defecation.
“When sanitation services are destroyed, damaged or disrupted, untreated human waste spreads in the environment, unleashing deadly diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea which affect community health and the well-being of citizens” he said.
To combat open defecation in the state, Wahab said the government has developed four cardinal roadmaps which are advocacy/sensitization; bridging infrastructure gap; standardisation and regularization of existing facilities as well as ensuring adequate monitoring and enforcement.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji Omobolaji, called for collective action from the government, partners, and communities to intensify efforts to provide safe sanitation for all.
Represented by the Director of Environmental Education, Monsurat Banire, the Permanent Secretary emphasized that access to safe and clean toilets is essential for achieving peace of mind and the overall well-being of individuals.
In her lecture, the guest speaker, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Prof. Basirat Oladipupo, highlighted the dangers of inadequate toilet access.
She explained that when people lack access to proper sanitation, they are often compelled to engage in open defecation or use unhygienic facilities, exposing themselves and others to harmful pathogens.
Oladipupo further noted that safe toilets provide a secure and private space, particularly for women, girls, and the elderly.
She stressed that access to safe toilets promotes gender equality, social equity, and inclusiveness.
World Toilet Day: Lagos Reaffirms Commitment To End Open Defecation is first published on The Whistler Newspaper