Lawmakers in Nigeria move to criminalise open defecation

The Nsukka Legislative Council in Enugu State on Tuesday held a public hearing on two bills – prohibition of open defecation and improper disposal of biomedical waste in Nsukka Local Government Area.

The public hearing in Nsukka at Adada Hall was attended by councillors, traditional rulers, town union presidents, civil society organisations, traders, landlords, market and religious leaders among others.

Speaking, Jude Omeje, leader of the council, said that the aim of the public hearing on the two bills was to get the inputs of Nsukka residents and reflect it before the bills are passed into law.

Mr Omeje expressed appreciation for the good attendance by residents and pledged that councilors would reflect suggestions and contributions before the bills become laws.

The leader, who sponsored the bill on Prohibition of Open Defecation, with Cordella Odugu, the chief whip of the council, said that the objective of the bill was to stop open defecation in any part of the local government area to promote public health and hygiene.

He disclosed that the bill, seeking to prohibit improper disposal of biomedical waste, was sponsored by Chidi Okoro, the councillor representing Edem-Ani ward, chairperson of the Committee on Environment.

According to Mr Omeje, the bill on Prohibition of open defecation, when passed into law, would make it an offence for any person found guilty and would be liable to pay N10,000 fine or one-week imprisonment or both.

He said the law would make it mandatory for landlords, shop plazas, markets, public institution owners among others to have toilet facilities and wash hand basins in their buildings.

“When this bill is passed and assented to by the chairperson of the council area, security agencies are empowered to arrest offenders and hand them to police within 24 hours for prosecution.

“Any institution e.g. school, health centres, either private or public, without toilet and wash hand basin is liable to N50,000 fine or two months imprisonment or both.

“Any faeces sighted in any community in Nsukka Local Government Area, leaders of such community will be held responsible and liable to pay fine of N10,000.00 or one week imprisonment or both,” he said.

Commendation

In a remark, Walter Ozioko, the chairperson, the Nsukka council area, represented by the Vice-chairperson, Sylvester Asogwa, commended the councillors for the public hearing on the two bills.

He said that when the bill on open defecation becomes law, it would go a long way to promote hygiene as well as good health of residents as open defecation is a serious challenge to good health.

“With this bill, Nsukka councillors are keying into Governor Peter Mbah’s agenda of making water available through digging boreholes in strategic locations and reticulating water to residents,” he said.

The chairperson noted that the bill on improper disposal of biomedical waste when passed into law, would help to curtail the mess on indiscriminate disposal of biomedical waste within the council area, which in most cases become an eyesore to residents.

‘It’ll be difficult to implement’

Speaking, the traditional ruler of Idu-Opi Community, Ben Attama, commended the councillors for introducing the bill, but noted that it would be difficult to implement given the fact that many communities have no access to public water.

“Currently in my community, we find it difficult to get water to cook, not to talk of getting water to flush toilets.

“We buy four-litre of jerry can water at the rate of N100 and not everybody is capable of buying it.

“Government should first of all make water available to every community before passing the law, otherwise the implementation will be very difficult,” he said.

Also speaking, Lewis Ugwu, the coordinator of all president-generals of town unions in Nsukka, said the implementation of open defecation law would only be possible if the Enugu State Government would provide necessary things required, especially public water.

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“The bill is a good one and can be implemented only if the state government will provide the necessary things, especially water and adequate sensitisation of residents.

Mr Ugwu, however, expressed optimism that the present administration of Governor Mbah had started very well and would put the enabling environment before implementing the laws.

(NAN)