Environment

Dangers Of Open Defecation

Published

7 years ago

August 19, 2019

The story was told of a man in Yakkur Local Government Area of Cross River State who was mistakenly shot dead by a hunter while defecating in a nearby forest.
The story was a reflection of the dangers, the society faces everyday from open defecation. It would be noted that by the first of October, 2019, India will exit its ranking as a nation with the largest number of persons practising open defecation.
The planned exist of India will create a void that will be filled by no less a nation than Nigeria.
Nigeria is currently second in ranking to India which occupies the number one spot in the world as far as open defeacation is concerned.
Critics say that the up- coming development will not only dent the image of the country abroad, but add to her misery index locally.
Statistics made available to newsmen at a recent National Media Dialogue on Sanitation organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Calabar, Cross River State, shows that Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people has a sizeable number of her citizens practising open defecation.
According to the report, one in three Nigerians has no access to basic drinking water, while 47 million defecate in the open.
The report also shows that 33 million Nigerians use unimproved toilets, while on average, people living in rural areas have access to only 4 litres of water per capita each day.
It shows that only 34 per cent of schools and 12 per cent of hospitals have access to basic sanitation.
It would be noted that out of the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, only 13 have been certified Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Six of these, however are in Cross River State, while in Rivers State, Opobo/Nkoro and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas which keyed into the programme are yet to attain the ODF status.
In Cross River State, the six local government areas are Obaniku, Yakkur and Ikom.
The rest are Bekwaru, Boki and Yalla Local Government Areas.
Sources further informed The Tide that the dangers associated with the situation were responsible for the current move by the government to end open defecation by 2025.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, recently launched the “Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign, with the mandate to mobilise Nigerians towards attaining the status of Open Defecation Free nation by 2025.
Information also revealed that the government has set aside N10 billion to kick start the campaign
Speaking at the National Media Dialogue on Sanitation: Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign in Calabar, the Head, Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information, Abuja, Mr. Olumide Osanyipeju said that the government is determined to get 47 million Nigerians to use the toilets by 2025.
Osanyipeju however said that to achieve the target, there must be vigorous campaign for behavioural change among Nigerians.
According to him, the nation will be further embarrassed when a new ranking is done this year, and described the Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign as timely.
He listed the dangers of open defecation to include poor nutrition, and adverse health conditions; “open defecation is dangerous as it spreads Cholera, Typhoid and other diseases.
“There is need for awareness on impact of open defecation in Nigeria”, he said.
He said that the media dialogue was to create awareness on the Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign” with a view to changing people’s behaviour on sanitation and health.
A communication specalist at UNICEF, Geoffrey Njoku said that if nothing is done about it, the situation will further compound the misery index of the country.
Njoku said that it was against this background that UNICEF is working with relevant organisations to put sanitation on the front burner of national discourse.
He said that the National Media Dialogue on Sanitation with the theme: Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet in Calabar was the third in the series organised by UNICEF round the country.
He described as terrible, India exiting as the number one ranked nation in the world by October, adding that it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to ensure that the country moves away from where it is now to Open Defecation Free nation by 2025.
He however added that atitudinal change is needed to achieve it.
Speaking on the overview of “Clean-Up Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign and how communities become ODF, a Water Sanitation and Health (WASH) specialist at UNICEF, Bioye Ogunjobi said that time has come for critical minds across the country to be engaged with a view to solving the open defecation problem by 2025.
Ogunjobi said that, the tendency is for everyone to work towards checking open defecation in rural communities, adding that the campaign was to increase access to improve sanitation especially in the rural areas.
He said that the priorities are to eliminate open defecation by 2025, bring water sanitation and hygiene to disadvantaged communities in the rural areas, improving access to safe water and sanitation in schools and health care facilities as well as create awareness and promote sanitation and hygiene in society.
Also speaking, Dr Nicholas Igwe of Zenith Water Project Limited said that the private sector must play critical role in the attainment of ODF Nigeria by 2025.
Igwe, who spoke on the link between Rural and Urban Sanitation: What Can the Private Sector Do? said that the private sector must mobilise resources to build toilet facilities in all public places in the country.
The expert also called for decentralisation of sewage disposal system in the country.
Just as the experts have said, the risk associated with open defecation is common in our communities.
Stories have been told of deaths caused by snake bites as a result of open defecation and accidental shooting of persons who practise open defecation in the bush by hunters.
The latest is the increasing number of rape cases in the communities caused by open defecation.
The dangers are enormous and the society must rise up to check the trend.

Environment

WDC: Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Odu Call Inclusion Of Woman And Girls Decision Making

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ngozi Nma Odu, has called for greater inclusion of women and girls in decision-making processes across all sectors, stressing that amplifying their voices is critical to national development.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. (Mrs.) Ngozi Nma Odu (Right), Launching the CIFAL Nigeria’s Voices of Experiences during the Mentoring the Next Generation and Joint Commemoration of UN International Women’s Day and World Water Day at the Rivers State University Complex,

She made the call during the launch of the “Voices of Experience” mentorship programme and the joint commemoration of the International Women’s Day and World Water Day at Rivers State University on Tuesday.

Odu underscored the burdens borne by women, particularly in rural communities, where they play central roles in water sourcing and food production. She reaffirmed support for initiatives that promote gender advocacy, noting that women’s lived realities must inform policies.

She also stressed the need to sustain the 30 per cent affirmative action for women’s inclusion, urging women to emulate pioneers such as Margaret Ekpo and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who championed women’s rights in Nigeria’s past.

Drawing from local experience, Odu recounted how women in Egi community mobilised to demand change by peacefully protesting at an oil facility, demonstrating the power of collective action.

She further advocated partnerships with CIFAL Nigeria and UNITAR to deepen mentorship for young people, noting that such collaborations are essential for building inclusive governance and transferring values to future generations.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Isaac Zeb-Obipi, emphasised the need to recognise women’s contributions globally, particularly in water management. He called for increased investment in women’s education and empowerment to ensure access to clean water.

Zeb-Obipi also pledged to align the institution’s academic and research activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while commending CIFAL Nigeria for its innovative programmes.

In her keynote address titled Inclusive Leadership: Building Institutions that Reflect All Voices, former Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, lamented declining female political representation. She noted that women’s participation, which rose from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to about 8 per cent in 2007, has dropped to roughly 4 per cent.

According to her, the issue is not participation but systemic exclusion, describing it as “a justice problem.” She also decried barriers facing youths and persons with disabilities, including limited access to leadership opportunities and inclusive education systems.

Director of CIFAL Nigeria, Ihuoma Njemanze, said the centre aims to bridge generational gaps by engaging young people—particularly digital natives—in conversations on women’s empowerment and sustainable development.

She disclosed plans to create platforms for dialogue, global exchanges and capacity-building initiatives aligned with UN goals.

Also speaking, Herritta Ogan identified cultural and institutional barriers as persistent obstacles to women’s advancement, while highlighting weak mentorship among women as a critical gap.

The event featured mentorship sessions, panel discussions and award presentations, reinforcing calls for inclusive leadership and sustained advocacy for gender equality.

Environment

FG Alls For stronger Partnerships, Women Inclusion In Water Governance

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has called for stronger collaborations and increased participation of women in water governance to ensure equitable access to water and sanitation nationwide.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made the call at a news conference to commemorate the 2026 World Water Day.

He said the day, instituted by the United Nations, highlights the importance of freshwater and promotes sustainable management of water resources globally.

Utsev noted that the theme, “Water and Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows,” underscores the link between water access, sanitation and gender equality, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 and 6.

The minister stressed that inclusive governance and women’s participation are essential for sustainable development and national growth.

Utsev said the ministry had constructed and rehabilitated over 6,700 water schemes, providing safe drinking water to more than 32 million Nigerians.

“Rural interventions have benefited over two million people, while about 500 additional projects were implemented across Benue, Jigawa, Gombe, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Ogun, and Niger states.

According to the minister, the ministry has completed two National Water Quality Reference Laboratories in Asaba and Umuahia to enhance monitoring and protect public health.

“The Dadin Kowa irrigation scheme delivered 2,000 hectares of land to farmers, including women, while micro-irrigation projects were completed in Jigawa, Oyo, and Kwara, with additional schemes underway in Kebbi,” Utsev said.

“Other dams recording progress include Mangu, Adada, and Ogbesse, while Alau Dam in Borno is being strengthened to improve flood control and water supply to Maiduguri,” he added.

The minister said the National Water Resources Institute had trained over 1,500 youths in plumbing, drilling, and water technology, while 24 water-use licences were issued to ensure equitable allocation of resources.

He noted that River Basin Development Authorities had developed over 154,000 hectares of irrigable land, benefiting more than 1.6 million farmers.

Utsev reaffirmed government’s commitment to inclusive water access and dignified sanitation, urging all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure no one is left behind.

“Water must become a force for equality, empowerment, and sustainable development,” he said, commending development partners, state governments, civil society organisations, and traditional institutions for their support.

He stressed that sustained investment, stronger coordination across federal, state, and local levels, and political will are key priorities, with women’s meaningful participation in planning and decision-making central to success.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Emanso Umobong, said World Water Day highlights the critical link between water and gender, noting that access to safe water directly affects women’s health, education, and economic empowerment.

Umobong was represented by Dr Adebiyi Tajudeen, Director, Finance and Accounts Department in the ministry.

She said gender-responsive water systems are essential to equitable and inclusive societies, and thanked development partners, civil society, and the diplomatic community for their support.

Umobong added that advancing water and sanitation is a direct pathway to achieving SDG 6 and SDG 5, emphasising that gender-inclusive governance strengthens system sustainability and resilience.

She outlined strategies including gender-responsive planning, targeted financing for schools and health facilities, robust data systems, and partnerships promoting women’s leadership at all levels.

“World Water Day is not merely ceremonial; it is a global call to action,” she said, urging stakeholders to amplify the message: “When water flows, equality grows”.

She added that tangible projects demonstrate the impact of gender-responsive water governance, citing functioning schools, operational clinics, thriving markets, and resilient communities.

Highlights of the event included the presentation of the 2026 UN World Water Development Report, Water for All People: Equal Rights and Opportunities, by Dr Enang Momah from UNESCO.

The report said gender inequalities undermine global water security, disproportionately affecting women and girls, who, in spite of managing household water, remain underrepresented in governance and technical roles.

“Unequal access also affects health, education, livelihoods, and safety, currently, 2.1 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, with women and girls spending 250 million hours daily collecting it”.

The report warned that climate change, water scarcity, and disasters worsen these inequalities, calling for stronger action to ensure equal rights, participation, and opportunities in water management.

The Tide source reports that a sensitisation and awareness campaign was held at the Lugbe axis to promote safe water use, especially among vulnerable populations.

The event also featured the distribution of sanitary products to women and girls, as well as the presentation of trophies to winners of the hygiene video skit competition.

Environment

Environmentalists Raise Alarm As World Loses 10m

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

The Tide

Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, on Thursday raised concerns over accelerating global deforestation, revealing that an estimated 10 million hectares of forests are lost every year.

Ezemonye raised the concern during activities marking the International Day of Forests at the university in Edo.

According to him, the level of deforestation poses far-reaching environmental and socio-economic threats.

Ezemonye said that Nigeria was not insulated from the trend, citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation which ranked the country among those with the highest deforestation rates in Africa.

“The consequences of this loss are grave,” he said, pointing to rising cases of flooding, desertification, ecosystem collapse, displacement of communities and the worsening impacts of climate change.

Describing the annual observance as more than ceremonial, Ezemonye said it should serve as a rallying point for urgent action.

He added that universities must play a central role as “custodians of knowledge and incubators of solutions.”

The V-C reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to environmental sustainability, emphasising that it remained a core institutional value beyond academic discourse.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Victor Otamere, said “protecting the forests is protecting our lives.”

Adams said that the state government had taken steps to safeguard forest resources, including the establishment of the Edo Forestry Commission.

The Chairman of the Forestry Commission, Mr Valentine Asuen, represented by Area Forest Officer for Ovia North East, Mrs Joan Omosigho, acknowledged the mounting pressure on forest resources and urged Nigerians to take responsibility for its protection.

Nwangwu listed the activities to include agricultural expansion, urbanisation and illegal logging.

He urged participants to move beyond rhetoric and commit to practical actions that would reverse environmental degradation.

The Tide reports that event, themed “Forests and Economies”, drew attention to the critical role forests play in sustaining livelihoods and supporting global economic systems.