Inadequate public toilets in Shiroro encourage widespread open defecation, health risks

In Nigeria, open defecation continues to be a widespread challenge, with over 24.4% of households, representing 48 million people, practicing it.

The situation is most severe in the North-Central region, where 53.9% of households engage in open defecation.

Despite support from local and international NGOs, the issue persists due to inadequate public sanitation facilities and low investment in the health sector, which receives only 5.15% of the national budget.

Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State is grappling with this crisis, as a severe lack of public toilets contributes to the spread of diseases that threaten community health.

The local government and public authorities have failed to address the issue effectively, leaving the community vulnerable.

The Secretary to the Kuta Market Chief, Hashimu Adamu, told ASHENEWS that the two public toilets in the busy Kuta market are insufficient for the thousands of daily visitors.

“Even if we had ten toilets, it wouldn’t be enough. The hygiene conditions are also poor,” Adamu stated.

“We’ve had to chase people away who are defecating against our office walls. It’s a major health concern for all of us.”

Despite a recent effort by the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) to construct a two-unit restroom block at Kuta Central Market, the high foot traffic has rendered the facility ineffective.

Many residents, including marketers, are turning to open defecation out of frustration with the lack of basic sanitary services.

An anonymous open defecator in Kuta market revealed, “I find it more convenient to defecate openly. The public toilets have no water or basic sanitary supplies, and they’re in such poor condition that it feels like adding waste to your body instead of eliminating it.”

This situation is not unique to Kuta market.

In other parts of Shiroro, many residents, especially in rural areas, lack access to public toilets and resort to defecating openly with schools also severely affected.

At Model Primary School in Kuta, the school’s toilet is in disrepair, with a leaking roof and cracked walls.

“The single block of toilet can’t accommodate the entire student population,” said Isah Tanko, a school staff member.

According to Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, the country needs 11.6 million toilets to achieve its goal of being open defecation-free by 2030.

The minister noted that the government will not only prioritize constructing more toilets but also educate the public on their proper use.

In Shiroro, the local environmental services director, Al-Mustapha Kuta, stressed that open defecation pollutes water sources and increases the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea.

He revealed that the local government has submitted a proposal for more public toilets in markets, schools, and religious centers, but it is still awaiting approval.

Kuta urged that without stricter enforcement of sanitation policies and increased investment in public toilet infrastructure, the open defecation crisis in Shiroro will continue, further threatening public health and the environment.