World Toilet Day: 1,000 children die daily due to poor sanitation-Ambode

Ambode

Kazeem Ugbodaga

As the world marks World Toilet Day, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has revealed that 1,000 children die daily due to poor sanitation in the world.

Speaking at the World Toilet Day in Apapa, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Saturday, th governor quoted current world statistics as saying that 1,000 children died daily due to poor sanitation, adding that over 1.8 billion people used a source of drinking water that had been contaminated.

“One in every three people on this planet still does not have access to a clean and safe toilet; at least 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is contaminated with faeces; 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines and 1,000 children die each day due to poor sanitation; whereas better sanitation supports better nutrition and improved health, especially for women and children,” said Ambode.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on the Environment, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, charged Lagosians to strongly promote safe toilets habits, which he said was necessary for preventing diseases and epidemics among residdents.

He maintained that government was committed to bringing to an end unsanitary habits of open urination and defecation as they did not conform with the state’s mega city status.

“We remain resolute in taking sanitation issue to the front burner as we are determined to ensure that the twin evil of open urination and defecation can no longer rear their ugly heads,” he said.

On the importance of the World Toilet Day celebration, Ambode said that, “World Toilet Day is a day to take action and to raise awareness about the value of best sanitation practices and make bold steps towards propagating the right to water and sanitation among Lagosians.”

The Governor pointed out that Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa was constantly being exposed to movement of people from other parts of the West Africa Sub-region, adding that this situation had always compounded the challenges of water and sanitation of the State, even with the existence of 570 public toilets spread across the State.

He decried the practice of open defecation and urination as the effects on human existence was too serious to be ignored. “Not only do they pollute underground waters, they contaminate agricultural produce, aid the spread of diseases and incapacitate the workforce,” he emphasised.

Ambode restated his commitment to the eradication of the menace of open defecation and urination through the provision of modern public conveniences and upgrading of already existing facilities across the State, stressing that plans were on to step-up on-going massive enlightenment drive by putting waste management on auto drive, whereby Lagosians would be encouraged to sustain a clean, aesthetic and safe mega city that would always set the pace for the nation.

“We are also accelerating the provision and monitoring of public toilets within the state,in addition to massive awareness campaign to re-orientate the people towards positive sanitation attitude,” Ambode said.

Ambode stressed that his government established the Public Sanitation Utilities to draw up the road map for combating open urination and defecation in public areas within the State and consequently reduce health care costs.

He urged Lagosians to turn a new leaf from their old ways and develop positive attitude to the environment, saying that “Lagos has emerged as a global financial and economic hub which cannot afford to stick to the old ways. Our state and indeed every one of us stand to reap immense social and economic gains from turning a new leaf in our attitude to the environment.”

Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare also represented by the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Adeyemi Saliu Abidemi,maintained that the World Toilet Day was a global move to call for urgent action to end the sanitation crisis which had always brought together communities around the world for raising awareness about toilets and sanitation issues.

Adejare therefore enjoined Lagosians to join the state’s crusade to attain a cleaner, healthier, functional and sustainable environment, capable of promoting economic growth and well-being of the entire citizenry, saying: “we must all endeavor to do everything within our capabilities to ensure that our environment is safe for us because we cannot exist without the environment.”