The Lagos State Government is taking steps to eliminate open defecation by providing training to public toilet operators and janitors.
According to a statement from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, the government is committed to improving sanitation practices in order to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and enhance social security in the city.
Akodu recognizes the importance of capacity building for service providers to align with the administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda.
He said, “The training aimed to instill best practices in toilet management, with a strong focus on eliminating open defecation, in line with the Federal Government’s goal of achieving an open defecation-free Nigeria by 2025.
“The state government has adopted the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign, launched in 2021, to support this objective.”
Akodu highlighted that the campaign has been taken to the grassroots level, launching in 11 local government areas throughout the state, aligning with existing initiatives to promote sanitation in markets and communities across the state.
Additionally, Akodu reported that enforcement officers have commenced apprehending individuals caught defecating on the median of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway (Lagos axis), warning that those caught would be prosecuted, further emphasizing the commitment to enforcing the campaign’s objectives.
“To combat open defecation, the Lagos State Government has developed a four-point roadmap: Advocacy, Regularization and Standardisation, Bridging the Gap, and Monitoring and Evaluation. The training workshop falls under the Regularisation and Standardisation component and the ministry has released comprehensive operational guidelines for public toilet operations,” he said.
The administration intends to bridge the infrastructure gap by constructing 100 public toilets in strategic locations throughout the state, as announced.
Dr. Tajudeen Gaji, Permanent Secretary of the Office of Environmental Services, reiterated the government’s dedication to providing toilet operators and janitors with favorable working conditions during his address, delivered by Dr. Hassan Sanuth, Director of Sanitation Services.
Gaji emphasized that the workshop aimed to promote the maintenance of clean, safe, and hygienic toilet facilities, as well as educate public operators and janitors on proper hygiene practices and sanitation techniques.
