That Executive Order On Open Defecation

That government thought it wise to tackle this widespread menace is quite commendable. 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 practised open defecation.
Some even narrated how they enjoy the natural breeze that caresses them while defecating in the open. That is how bad the situation is. Open defecation has remained a challenge both in the urban and rural areas.
President Muhammadu Buhari, penultimate Wednesday, signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation in the country by 2025. Titled “The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019,” government by this order aims at changing the embarrassing record of the country being the second country with the highest number of people practising open defecation, next to India.
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 at a corner of the road or close to a drainage, bend down, and pull down their under wear to answer the call of nature; neither is it strange to see a commuter 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 outright non availability of toilet facilities.
At the airports, markets, motor parks and other public places, the situation is 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.
This abysmal attitude, no doubt, takes a toll on the lives of the citizens. Every year the nation battles the outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, hepatitis and others, no thanks to the huge human wastes that daily go into the seas, rivers and lagoons.
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. What about girls who absent from school during their monthly periods because there are no toilets in their schools? You can imagine how that affects their academics. Some women have been reportedly raped in bushes and other obscure places where they go to answer nature’s call.
Obviously, the negative impact of open defecation on the environment, public health, human dignity and personal safety, especially for women, children and those in vulnerable situations are enormous and must be urgently and effectively addressed for us to have a healthy society. But the question is, is this going to be achieved by merely setting a date?  How realistic is it for the nation to eradication this problem in the next six years, as the federal government targets?
What plans have been made to make it a reality? Non availability of public toilets has been identified as a major reason for open defecation.
. What plans are there to adequately provide these facilities before 2025? What are the established mechanisms of monitoring the use of existing public toilets and the ones yet to be established?
Part of the Executive Order says, “There is established in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources a National Secretariat called ‘Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat.’
“The secretariat is authorised on behalf of the President to implement this Order by ensuring that all public places including schools, hotels, fuel stations, places of worship, market places, hospitals and offices have accessible toilets and latrines within their premises.” In as much as this may sound simple and appealing, is it workable? Whether the establishment of this secretariat is necessary in view of the avalanche of agencies and organs saddled with virtually the same responsibilities, is a topic for another day.
Again, many people resort to open defecation due to lack of water for flushing. Should we not first make water available to the citizens for our dream of ending open defecation to be a reality? There is also the issue of unstable water table which makes digging of toilets in some places very difficult and expensive. Was this factored into the plan to rid the nation of open defecation in the next couple of years?
Without these challenges being addressed, the idea of eradicating open defecation in the country in 2025 might just go the way of other unrealistic national campaigns. State governments should also toe the line of the federal government by prioritizing the issues surrounding water, sanitation and hygiene which will ultimately make the drive for no open defecation smooth and fruitful.
It is also imperative that Nigerians be educated and sensitized regularly on the dangers of open defecation and importance of proper hygiene because apparently, many do not know and some who are aware prefer the unwholesome attitude. Shouldn’t there be a penalty for the last set of people?

By: Calista Ezeaku