The Senate on Tuesday employed proactive measures to end the negative trend of open defecation in the country.
The Senate said it was aware that November 19 which is “World Toilet Day” (WTD) is an annual global event organized by UN-Water an interagency mechanism that coordinates the efforts of United Nations entities and international organisations working on water and sanitation issues, to raise awareness of the crucial role that sanitation plays in reducing disease and creating healthier communities.
WTD is aimed at inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve Sustainable Development Goal no.6 (SDG 6), which promises sanitation for all by 2030.
This year’s World Toilet Day is themed “Leaving no One Behind”, and it emphasised the importance of expanding sanitation access to the more than 4.2 billion people living without safely managed sanitation options.
Senate said toilets save lives, because human wastes spread killer diseases and that there should be inspiring action to combat the global sanitation crisis.
The Upper Chamber is worried that open defection poses serious economic, social, health hazards effect on the people, community and the environment.
The motion on the matter was moved by Senator Clifford Odia in plenary on Tuesday.
According to Odia, besides the exposure to diseases, there is a lack of dignity that is inherent in open defecation practices, particularly with regard to women and girls.
“If effective solutions are not found, the non-availability of sanitation facilities inadvertently further exposes women and girls to violence including rape, when they are forced to go out at night to defecate in the open,” he stated.
Senate insist that as part of the efforts to address this issue with particular reference to ending open defecation, the Ministry on Environment, Water resources Health and other related agencies should increase awareness and sensitization on the dangers of open defecation.
It further urged the Federal Government through its relevant agencies to Increase the construction of public toilets round the 36 states especially in those states where open defecation is more prevalent.
