The Nsukka Legislative Council in Enugu State on Tuesday held 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 councilors, traditional rulers, town union presidents, civil society organisations, traders, landlords, market and religious leaders among others.
Speaking, Mr 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.
Omeje expressed appreciation on 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 Mrs 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 LG in order to promote public health and hygiene.
He disclosed that the bill, seeking to prohibit improper disposal of biomedical waste, was sponsored by Mr. Chidi Okoro, the Councilor representing Edem-Ani ward and Committee Chairman on Environment.
According to 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 N10,000.00 fine or one week imprisonment or both.
He said the law made 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 LG Chairman, security agencies are empowered to arrest offenders and hand them to police within 24 hours for prosecution.
“Any institution eg school, health centres, either private or public, without toilet and wash hand basin is liable to N50,000.00 fine or two months imprisonment or both.
“Any faeces sighted in any community in Nsukka LG , 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.
In a remark, Chief Walter Ozioko, Chairman, Nsukka LG, represented by his the Vice-chairman, Mr. 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.
“I commend the councillors for the public hearing that will enable residents to make their own inputs before the bill is passed.
“With this bill, Nsukka councillors are keying into Gov. Peter Mbah’s agenda of making water available through digging borehole in strategic locations and reticulating water to residents,” he said.
The chairman 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 LG, that in most cases become an eyesore to residents.
Speaking, His Royal Highness Igwe Ben Attama, the Traditional Ruler of Idu-Opi Community, 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, else implementation will be very difficult,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. Lewis Ugwu, the Coordinator of all Presidents General of Town Unions in Nsukka LGA, said the implementation of open defecation law would only be possible if Enugu State Government would provide necessary things required, especially public water.
“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.
Ugwu, however, expressed optimism that the present administration of Gov. Mbah had started very well and would put the enabling environment before the implementation of the laws.
