Lagos State Govt Trains Public Toilet Operators On New Sanitation Practices

The Lagos State Government, over the weekend, trained and rallied Public Toilet Operators on new sanitation techniques and operations for efficient service delivery in the state.

 

Addressing participants during the Training Workshop for Public Toilets Operators and Janitors in Lagos State held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja, the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating open defecation and other environmental nuisances to reduce vulnerability to disease outbreaks and promote social security across the metropolis.

 

Akodu said the State Government recognises the crucial role of janitors and public toilet operators and the need to build capacity to meet the challenges of service delivery in tandem with the T.H.E.M.E.S plus agenda of the present administration.

He added that the training was aimed at inculcating best practices in toilet management with a focus on eradicating Open Defecation in line with the Federal Government’s target of achieving Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025, adding that the State Government adopted the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” Campaign flagged off in 2021.

He stressed that the Campaign has been taken to the grassroots and launched in 11 Local Government Areas across the State, noting that the campaign is in addition to regular Sanitation Advocacy programmes being carried out in Markets and Communities across the State.

Akodu maintained that the Government is determined to deal decisively with anyone engaging in Open Defecation in accordance with the extant laws of the State.

According to him, Lagos will not use billions to build infrastructure and some people will mess it up. Lagos has taken it upon itself to recruit officers that will man the different areas, especially the Berger area so that it will not degenerate.

“Enforcers have started arresting people who defecate on the median along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway (Lagos Axis) and they will be prosecuted accordingly. I hope this will put fear amongst other culprits. I will use this opportunity to appeal to the government of Ogun state to take it from where Lagos stopped and do same on enforcement as Lagos government is doing so that open defecation will be brought to the barest minimal”, he said.

He explained that the Government, in addressing the trend of Open Defecation across the State, developed a four cardinal points roadmap, which are Advocacy, Regularization and standardization, Bridging the gap and Monitoring, as well as Evaluation and Enforcement.

Akodu added that the training workshop comes under Regularisation and standardisation, saying the Ministry has also rolled out a comprehensive operational guideline to guide the operation of public toilets in the State.

He informed the participants that the present administration has decided to construct 100 Units of Public toilets across strategic locations in the State to bridge the infrastructural gap.

He said the ongoing training workshop and capacity building was to equip operators with the skills and knowledge required to excel in their roles for a sustainable environment and to ensure access to clean and welcoming toilets thereby encouraging positive behavioural change.

He emphasised that the workshop was organised to expose toilet operators to global standards, guidelines and best practices for public toilet operation and maintenance, which will not only benefit the participants but also improve the state of the environment and health in the State.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Tajudeen Gaji noted that the Government is committed and would continue to ensure good working conditions for toilet operators and janitors.

The Permanent Secretary who spoke through the Director of Sanitation Services, Dr. Hassan Sanuth, added that the workshop topics focused on Promoting Clean, Safe and hygienic toilet facilities – the role of Government and proper hygiene practices and Sanitation techniques for public operators and janitors.