Open defecation: RUWASSA takes awareness to residents in Lugbe, Wuse, 2 others

By Stanley Onyekwere

In order to ensure improved patronage of newly constructed public toilet facilities across motor parks, recreational centres, poor neighborhoods ane other public spaces, the officials of the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Directorate otherwise known RUWASSA has stepped up awareness campaign in Garki Area 1, Lugbe and Saulka areas of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

In particular, the sensitisation campaign on Open Defecation Free Nigeria (ODF) with the Theme: “Know the public toilets in FCTAbuja and use them” was organised by the FCT Administration, in partnership with Federal Ministry of Water Resources, National Orientation Agency (NOA).

It was observed that the RUWASSA and other relevant government authorities that toured six standard public convenience facilities situated within the premises of a temporary mork park near the busy Area 1 Roundabout, the motor park inside Lugbe Car Wash and Sauka, one of the aboriginal communities along the Abuja Airport Road, where they interacted and educated hundreds of residents and users of the facilities, on need to embraced measures taken to end the menace, which poses divers mortal dangers to the city. total of 20 facilities have been completed or at different stages of completion across strategic business and living areas of Abuja.

Speaking during the tour, Head of Media and Publicity of the Directorate, Karo Sani Bala, disclosed that since the FCT Minister, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu officially flagged off construction of the first phase of provision of public toilets under the Build, Operate and Maintain (BOM) model with the private investors, is a continuous initiative until the 2025 deadline is to end open defecation is achieved.

Karo added that 200 public toilets facilities are proposed in in the first phase, which upon completion will give way for construction of more facilities, in line with the presidential declaration on ODF Nigeria.

National Coordinator for the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Chizoma Oparah, reiterated that ending open defecation requires facilities to in put in place in public places, hence there is need to intensify the awareness about the availability and affordability of the facilities.

She added that although a lot of these facilities are springing up, but it seems that many people are not aware of them, so it became necessary to create awareness.

According to her, “With FCT which had actually flagged this off, it was necessary that we move around, and see for ourselves what is on ground and how they are being maintained. And we also noticed that they were quite clean, meaning that the aim is achieved.

“Because, if you have public facilities, they are not clean, people will not use them. So, they are well maintained by those facility managers.”

Reacting to the development in their separate interviews, most of the residents who excitedly thronged the facilities during the tour, expressed delight that the availability of the facilities at a very affordable cost has improved their living and business spaces, a few appealed to the government to intensify efforts on meeting its construction target as well up sensitisation to encourage patronage.