The Open Defecation Policy

At a workshop to mark Global Hand Washing Day recently, the moderator raised the issue of open defecation and asked if there were any of the participants who had not defecated openly before.
Behold, all the participants made up of top civil servants, media executives, heads of schools, and other top people in the society, said they had all practiced open defecation.
Some even narrated how they enjoy the natural breeze that caresses them while defecating in the open. I’m sure there was one or two persons who hadn’t done that before, but because majority of the people confessed to doing that, they chose to remain silent so as not to be termed “fake or unreal persons”.
But that is actually the situation in our country. Open defecation has remained a challenge both in the urban and rural areas. A recent survey by the United Nations Children Fund, ranked Nigeria among the top three countries in the world where the habit of open defecation is still prevalent. The report further indicated that 25 per cent of Nigerians defecate openly.
This is not the kind of report that is disputed by our leaders because the evidence is everywhere.On the roadsides, in bushes, in schools, fields and classrooms, in uncompleted buildings, at dumpsites, walkways, under bridges, faeces are a common sight. It is not unusual to see someone hawking food item drop the item on a corner of the road or close to a drainage, bend down, pull down their undies to answer the call of nature. Neither is it strange to see a commuter’s bus pull out from the highway for the passengers to excrete at a nearby bush.
Let’s not talk about what obtains in some of our higher institutions of learning and public secondary schools where open defecation is almost a norm. Students are compelled to excrete in polythene bags and dispose it in dustbins on the streets or the bush either due to lack of water supply, poorly managed toilet facilities or non availability of toilet facilities.
At the airports, markets, motor parks and other public places, the situations are not too different. Although most times there are public toilets in these places, some people still prefer excreting in the open, thereby polluting the entire environment.  A typical example is the “prestigious” Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.  This is arguably one of the best airports in the country. In terms of neatness, especially inside and at the tarmac, it is next to none. But just move towards the car park and the whole place reeks of urine and decaying faecal matters.
There is, therefore, urgent need to tackle this challenge which has not only become a national embarrassment but is taking toll on the lives of the citizens. Every year the nation battles the outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis and others.
UNICEF recently warned that 45,000 children under the age of five die annually from diseases caused by poor access to water sanitation and hygiene. This should cause those at the helm of affairs at federal, state and local government levels to worry. They should be challenged to invest more in the provision of public toilets as the non availability of these facilities has been identified as the major reason for open defecation.
There should also be policies on open defecation, and strict enforcement of the policy where it already exists. Property developers both in the cities and rural areas must be made to provide toilet facilities in their building as one does not understand why a land lord will erect a building without toilet facilities and expect the occupants to use buses as their conveniences.
 At this point, one must commend the effort of the Lagos State Government in curbing the anomaly.  As part of its World Toilet Day declaration, the Lagos State Government says it is finalising implementation plans on its Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) policy, envisaged to complement laws and curb the menace of open defecation and urination. During an event at the World Toilet Day, the State Government says it is finalising implementation plans on its Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) policy, envisaged to complement laws and curb the menace of open defecation and urination.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, who spoke on behalf of the government, described open defecation and urination as unwholesome with a lot of negative impact on the environment, public health, human dignity and personal safety, especially for women, children and those in vulnerable situations.
He stated that the government was making efforts to eradicate the menace of open defecation and urination through the provision of public toilets and upgrading of toilet facilities as well as the implementation of the Lagos State Water Sanitation and Hygiene Policy.
 This is an example worth emulating by other state and federal governments. Most importantly, Nigerians need to be educated and sensitized regularly on the dangers of open defecation and importance of proper hygiene.

Calista Ezeaku