By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, have expressed worry over the menace of open defecation across the state, calling on relevant authorities to curb the act immediately through massive construction of public toilets.

The members who raised this during it’s plenary session, strongly condemned the rampant practice of open defecation across the State.

The House therefore resolved, and urged the Local Government Areas, LGAs and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, to collaborate with private organizations, construct adequate public toilets in their respective localities and as well Intensify sensitization and publicity against open defecation in the State.

Raising this under the Matter of Urgent Public Importance, Stephen Ogundipe, representing Oshodi I, maintained that Lagos State, as a smart city, must take decisive action to curb open defecation, which remained prevalent in areas such as: Oshodi, Mile 2, Agege, among others.

Ogundipe stressed the need for proper sanitation facilities to align with the State’s vision of cleanliness and environmental sustainability.

The Deputy Speaker, Mojeed Fatai, reiterated the responsibility of LGAs and LCDAs in providing public toilets within their jurisdictions.

Fatai explained that such facilities would significantly reduce the occurrence of open defecation and enhance public hygiene across the State.

In his contribution, Gbolahan Yishawu, acknowledged the severity of the issue and questioned the government’s existing efforts to curb the menace.

Yishawu, urged the State government to prioritize the establishment of public toilets at strategic locations, noting that public-private partnerships could play a crucial role in achieving the objective.

Corroborating his colleagues, Aro Moshood, highlighted the adverse impact of open defecation in riverine areas, where it contaminates water bodies and poses risks to both human health and marine life.

He called for collective efforts from all stakeholders to eradicate the menace and improve sanitation standards across Lagos.

Vanguard News