‘88,000 practice open defecation; epidemic looms’ – Cross River LG raises alarm

By Emma Una, CALABAR

A local government council chairman in Cross River State, Dr. Fred Okem has bemoaned the high rate of open defecation by residents of the area and warned that an epidemic looms if the practice is not stopped.

Dr. Okem, the Chairman of Yala Local Government Area, said this while presenting the Cross River State law on Open Defecation to the councillors in the local government to adopt into a by-law.

He sated that the high rate of waterborne diseases in the area is due to the open defecation practice, and warned that after the six months grace granted by the law, any home without a toilet would be made to face the law.

“Yala was one of the first local government areas in the country to attain open defecation free status since 2018. But things have gone backwards, and even worse with virtually 90% of the people here defecating in the open.

“We are in the process of returning Yala back to the right status where every home, market, school has a toilet.”

He stated that the local government is forming a partnership with Toilet Pride Initiative and to procure affordable toilet facilities for the people and everyone should participate in building new toilets to stop the open defecation practice.

“The human waste is said to be manure for the soil and food for some animals and birds. But it contains a lot of diseases and bacteria such as cholera, guinea worm and others, which are injurious to human health. Therefore, we must stop the practice.”

The General Manager of Cross River State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency RUWATSA, Sunday Ebeku said Governor Bassey Otu has signed the Open Defecation Law and other sanitary laws with the expectation to improve the sanitary and health standard in the state.

He urged everyone has to key into the government’s agenda for the wellbeing of the society.

“Those who live by the river side often indulge in defecating into the river and river bank, and when rain falls everything ends up in the water and people drink from it.

“The water may look clean to the eye, but if you drink it, trouble comes.”

He said after the six months grace, anyone who defecates in the open or any home without a toilet, the people in such a compound will be sent to jail

He called on everyone to take advantage of the provision of cheap toilet facilities and loan from a partnering bank and acquire a toilet.

“Yala in Cross River and Makoda in Kano State are the two local government areas Toilet Pride Initiative is anchoring the programme. And we are lucky to be part of that initiative therefore we should embrace it to improve our healthcare,” the local government boss said.

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