Build toilets in rural communities to end open defecation, minister tells politicians

Balarabe Lawal, minister of environment, has implored politicians to construct toilet facilities in rural communities.

The minister believes that this would help the country meets its target of an open defecation free nation by 2030.

Lawal spoke on Monday in Abuja, during an interview on ‘Unfiltered by O’tega Ogra’, senior special assistant to the president on digital communication and news media strategy.

He said the ministry is working to engage politicians on the construction of toilet facilities in communities across the country.

“Open defecation is one area we are trying to address. Nigeria is one of the worst countries in terms of open defecation and I am glad to say that we are getting support from a lot of corporate organisations,” he said.

“We are not saying [they should] bring money for us to build these toilets; we are saying go to these communities and build toilets. We are trying to get across to all politicians to go to their communities and build toilets because the target for us to get toilets for everyone in Nigeria is 2030. But we are not getting there, we are almost like six to seven years away.

“We are really far away on the target. We are less than 50 percent to be honest but with the kind of efforts we are putting in now and with cooperation with ministry of water resources, recently we did world toilet day. While coming down from the flyover, I saw a lot of people defecating close to ministry of environment, that is a big issue.

“We have been able to solve that problem and provided an alternative toilet for them. So, in open places, markets, in schools… most schools, toilet facilities are not there and children go to the bush and the issue of cholera we are fighting about, so clean environment is very important.”

‘NIGERIA’S FOREST COVER PLUMMETED TO 3.7 PERCENT’

The minister said Nigeria is one of the countries with the least forest cover.

He said one of the issues is that forests in the country are being used as “habitation grounds” by bandits and criminals.

“Nigeria is now one of the least countries with forest cover. The minimum required for a nation is 25 percent but Nigeria has gone down to less than 10 percent. In fact, the present figure is 3.7 percent,” Lawal said.

“We are almost in a crisis. That was why I had to approach Mr. President and I spoke to him about the consequences we are facing for lack of having enough forest cover in the country.”

He said international organisations are supporting the ministry in training judges on how to prosecute forest crimes and wildlife violations.

The minister said the federal government has begun sensitising Nigerians to transition to environmentally friendly means of transportation.

“When we went for COP28, Mr. President was very clear about addressing the issue of climate change and carbon emission but we have to bear in mind that our economy relies heavily on this hydro carbon,” he said.

“In the last federal executive council, the government came out that we should try and emphasise the issue of transportation, purchase of vehicles that are environmentally friendly. Even within the ministry, there is a budget we have for the purchase of electric vehicles.

“All these are attempts to reduce the issue of emission and fossils and fuel and the rest of it because our economy relies heavily on this. The target is that we are looking at 2060 for the complete transition from this fossil fuel to cleaner energy sources.”