Lagos, Reckitt Benckiser collaborate to tackle risks of open defecation
As Nigeria battles with the highest number of people practicing open defecation in the world, in its bid to imbibe hygiene and sanitation, Reckitt Benckiser (RB) has partnered with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment to upgrade and refurbish 25 public toilet units for four communities in Lagos state.
According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria is among the nations in the world with the highest number of people practicing open defecation, estimated at over 46 million people with a projected 56 million new cases in the next 10 years.
The practice has had a negative effect on the populace, especially children, in the areas of health and education and had contributed to the country’s failure to meet the MDG target.
Open defecation is seen as the practice where people go out “in the fields, bushes, forests, or other open spaces, rather than using the toilet, to defecate.”
Dayanand Sriram, general manager, RB West Africa said the refurbishment is part of a long strategic partnership established with the Lagos State Government.
“It’s aimed at cleaning, sensitising and influencing positive behavioural changes towards good hygiene and sanitation habits in the people in order to tackle open defecation in the state as a way of ensuring healthier and happier lives in Nigeria,”
“The newly refurbished public toilets are located in Ojota, Oshodi, Costain and Alausa,” said Sriram
Sriram further disclosed that the Harpic toilet refurbishment project will result in big positive attitudinal change, which will impact the lives of the people and the environment.
“Our immediate priority is to change consumer behaviour for a healthy environment; we want every Nigerian to use clean and safe toilets. This is possible, only if we all join hands to work towards this goal.
“Open defecation is not only dehumanizing, but it is also an abuse of human rights. Harpic wants this abuse of the environment and human rights to stop, hence this collaboration that has seen Harpic taking charge of the end-open -defecation campaign in the state,” he added.
A World Bank Report (2012), Nigeria loses N455 billion or US$ 3 billion annually due to poor sanitation. This works out to US$ 20 per capita/year and constitutes 1.3 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross domestic product.
The adverse effects of open defecation in the country prompted the National Council on Water Resources in 2014 to prioritize the development of a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country, in line with the United Nations global campaign for ending open defecation.
Aliza Leferink, marketing director, RB West Africa, also expressed the view that usage of clean toilets is capable of preventing diseases and that the Harpic open defecation elimination programme is targeted to reach over 1 million homes in 16 cities to educate and encourage people to use clean toilets regularly.
“We requested for societal support towards a behavioural change to tackle the menace of open defecation in the state and I urged the residents to support the maintenance and proper utilisation of the 26 refurbished public toilet units in Lagos,” she said.
Abiodun Bamgboye, permanent secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, commended Harpic for her continued support in building a hygienic and healthy environment in the state.
Bamgboye stated the donation of public toilets by Harpic is another step taken in the right direction, encouraging greater partnership with the private and public sector to further boost the welfare of the people in the state.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH