By Tony Adibe
Leaders in Igboeze North Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, have given their commitment to stop open defecation by making sure that residents of the area build toilets in their households.
The leaders gave their commitment on Wednesday at the end of Community Stakeholders Engagement on Open Defecation Free Environment, which was organised by WaterAid Nigeria, in partnership with South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) and the Enugu State Government held at Enugu-Ezike community.
The Chairman, Traditional Rulers’ Council in Igboeze North LGA, Igwe Gabriel Agbedo, said that the traditional rulers were in support of stopping open defecation following the enlightenment got on its serious negative health and financial consequences to the people.
Igwe Agbedo said that having a defecation-free environment is possible and the traditional rulers would totally key into it from its general meeting to be held on Feb. 22. “As agreed by all stakeholders we have to do it for its overwhelming benefits. Everybody wants to live a healthy life and spend less on hospital and medication,” he said.
He said: “we are happy over this advocacy and enlightenment brought to our doorsteps by these non-governmental organisations and the state government. “From Feb. 22, we will give each family living in each community in the council area three months to build a simple pit toilet. We will also know as traditional rulers within each community where we needed community efforts to set-up toilets in public places such as markets, worship centres and schools.”
In his contribution, a Councilor in the LGA, Mr. Collins Idoko said that enlightenment on ending open defecation is clear and he would take the message and resolution back to the council’s legislative council.
“I will assist in spreading the benefits; and other benefits that NGOs can attract to our council area as well as ensure that through the legislative council we push for a byelaw against open defecation within the council area. It might take us time beyond three months due to the elections and most of my colleagues are so much engaged in the ongoing political electioneering,” Idoko, who represented the leader of the council legislative house, said.
In a lecture on “Open Defecation Triggers”, Assistant Sanitation Officer in Enugu State Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Juliet Iyiodo said a handful of the stakeholders were taken away to observe activities in a space littered with faeces.
“It is clear that the open defecation creates unconducive odour as well as mosquitoes, other flies and domestic animals feast on it. These flies and animals make their way into homes; thus, introducing diseases and ill health as well as financial burden to individuals and families,” Iyiodo, who is with the Small-Town Unit in the ministry, said.
Creating deeper understanding using Igbo language, Coordinator of Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) programme in the Health Department of the council area, Chief Levi Idoko led the stakeholders to understand and agree on some action points.
Idoko said that with further explanations, the stakeholders had resolved to construct toilet facilities in their respective homes; improve general cleanliness of surroundings, stop open defecation in homes and create awareness on the need to use toilets.
“We agreed to maintain proper food hygiene; toilet facilities should be provided in public places; enactment of community bye-laws by traditional rulers and members of their cabinet; and fines should be imposed on defaulters, among others,” he added.
In her remark, SSDO WASH Programme Lead, Miss Obianuju Ezeike said that the beauty of ending open defecation might be followed by donor agencies and partners funding some community WASH projects in the near future. Ezeike said: “Some foreign donors and partners have made it compulsory that henceforth open defecation must be stopped in community before they can implement WASH-related project in any community.”
