Nigeria Calls For Provision Of Functional Sanitary Facilities For Waste Management

The Nigerian government says that the provision of safe functional sanitary facilities and services in every premises for the management of waste materials is a necessity for sustainable waste management in the country.

The government said it will go a long way in ensuring a high level of behavioral change with respect to SDGs 3, 6, and 7 on good health and well-being, access to clean water and sanitation as well as safe management of sanitation.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Ibrahim Yusufu disclosed this in a press briefing to begin the activities, to commemorate the 2023 National Environment Sanitation Day in Abuja.

The Day is usually marked every year on 28th June. This year’s event was shifted to Thursday 13th July, 2023 due to collusion with the sallah holiday that fell on the same 28th June, 2023.

He also noted that having these sanitary facilities and services in public places would promote public health and improve the quality of lives of the populace, thereby reducing poverty through environmental sustainability.

‘’Therefore, this theme entails the need for everyone everywhere, households, business premises, schools etc to have sanitary facilities/services which is functional and cost-effective to ensure the protection of our eco-system, aesthetic value of the environment and natural resources, it will also Prevent odour nuisance and further transmission of sanitary related disease.

‘’Prevent pollution of water bodies, air and land for a sustainable eco-system. Improve resource recovery, reuse and recycling thereby promoting circular economy in waste management. Prevent blockage of drainages, water pathways and flooding of the communities,’’ he further stressed.

The Permanent Secretary also noted that the Ministry of Environment, stakeholders and development partners have made several efforts to provide sanitary facilities and services in some parts of the country.

‘’However, it is yet to be translated into desired improved health indices expressed in the persistent increase in child and infant mortality rate due to sanitation & hygiene related diseases. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the press, there cannot be a better time to improve on sustainable waste management for healthy environment than now.

‘’In this regard, the Ministry with stakeholders has outlined the following activities to commemorate the 2023 NESD, Flag off of community sanitation and sensitization in Kuchigoro Community, off Airport Road Abuja on Saturday 8th July, 2023. National Environmental Sanitation Day commemoration on Thursday 13th July, 2023 at Barcelona Hotel, Wuse 2 Abuja. Post-commemoration activities: Community Sanitation and Sensitization activities in some selected communities across the country. These activities are also expected to be adopted and implemented by the 36 States of the federation to commemorate the 2023 National Environmental Sanitation Day,’’ he explained.

The theme for this year’s National Environmental Sanitation Day is “Promoting Sustainable Waste Management for a Healthy Environment: Stop Open Dumping”.

The National Environmental Sanitation Day, NESD Commemoration was established to institutionalize the sound environmental sanitation practice as a lifestyle amongst the populace through massive awareness creation and reward for innovative best practices in environmental sanitation.

The Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with key stakeholders has been celebrating the NESD since its declaration by Former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 till date and it has promoted behavioral change in sanitation and hygiene practices among the citizenry.

Confidence Okwuchi