South-East’s unending quest to attain open defecation free society by 2025 (6)

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
During the long dry season, there were some actions we took that came after us as the first rains for the year 2020 dropped. The animal dungs, particularly the indiscriminate cow dungs across our streets and paths, and human excreta in the bushes and gutters though dried, floated as the flood drive them down to our streams and water sources. This is one out of the consequences of Open defecation. ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU x-rays the dangers of open defecation and the futile efforts in South-East to checkmate it before 2025.
——-Continued from part 5 (https://www.odogwublog.com/south-easts-unending-quest-to-attain-open-defecation-free-society-by-2025-5/)

Abia state Open defecation
Isuochi: So many places were littered with human excreta but Obiagwu Ndiawa Isuochi Garki Hausa quarters was very dirty close to Better Life market built by IBB’s wife which is a functional daily market.

Elder Daniel Onyeka of Apostolic Christian Church aka Banner of Love Assembly was unhappy at the level of open defecation in the community perpetrated by Hausa residents.  According to him , they defecate anyhow and everywhere unconcerned of the consequences of open defecation. They wash their anus with water recklessly. They don’t patronize toilets because they are not used to it. They can defecate on your vegetables, your pathway, along the walkways and anywhere at that. They are reckless about that.
Deaconess Cordelia Onyeka was livid as she showed me faeces right at my back in the part way I stood to see who to talk to in the suburb. I saw heap of flies come up as I passed but I taught it was a dead animal judging by the smells but I was wrong. At a close look , it was fresh faeces.
Though, there were toilets in the market and households yet they don’t use them. She said since the Hausa cow sellers’ immigrants arrived from Okigwe, they have been experiencing theft in all manners. They steal palm nuts, Bread fruits, firewood, anything at sight, they steal whether at home or in the farm. There was another fresh faeces but I couldn’t pull myself together to snap it. It was same menace that pitched them against their hosts at Okigwe.

Deacon Onyeka confirmed that strange sickness have been ravaging the inhabitants since all manner of alien culture in defecation entered the village as they not only contend with human excreta but cow dungs. Cow dung was seen everywhere I passed. But, he vouched that after first incidence of rape that the Hausa people never engaged in any further acts of rape against their women. There was a rape case by an Hausa cow attendant at Lokpa Ukwu when the daughter of Ndubuisi (surname withheld) was raped. It caused great chaos in the community that nearly sent the immigrants parking. They now have harlots zone where young undergraduates and other harlots engage in illicit sex with drivers and anyone who desires their services.

Chimaobi Daniel , the PRO of Oil Palm Dealers in the Garki market confirmed there exists pay toilets for N50 in the market and environs but the Hausa people are not used to that hence they defecate anywhere and everywhere including along the roads and within the market especially in the night and early morning with reckless abandon. He said the market was used to be a very clean area to be but now very dirty and avoided by clean people unless those who don’t have option.

It was not like their people weren’t indulging in open defecation but not recklessly as they have some dignity to protect.
Hausa people have the surrounding land close to the market on lease for 40 years and later renewed for another 20 years making it 60 years from 2005 December. So many people now are sick but that was not used to be in the village. Dirty environment contributed to sickness for everyone particularly the children. People urinate everywhere, defecate everywhere as lorries and heaps of dirties contest for space along the expressway.

Okwuobasi Justice is an oil dealer and a cyclist. He said: ‘’I don’t know who to believe as he said there were no toilets but was quick to add that there are toilets in compounds of individuals to pay for usage. He confirmed dirty environment capable of spreading disease and that Hausa people defecate anyhow and anywhere. ‘’Hausa people don’t know what is toilets and those attending to cows are the worst’’.

Hausa suya seller
He said his name is Mohammadu. He speaks a special type of ‘broken English’ one understands through special attention.  He said there are toilets but they don’t use them. He confirmed that they go anywhere to defecate. But, denied they are thieves.
They eat, drink and compete in dirty environment with trailers, lorries arriving from either Port Harcourt or Enugu axis. Everywhere was smelly.

Epidemic looms in Abia community Arochukwu
A call has gone to governments, individuals and organisations to come to the rescue of Atan Abam community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, to save it from the imminent epidemic as a result of uncontrolled open defecation.

The community made the call through a woman leader, Elder Ebere Okorie Arunsi, during a UNICEF/ National Orientation Agency (NOA) sensitisation outreach in the community, saying the agency should go beyond the sensitisation on the dangers of open defecation to help attract attention to the need for urgent assistance to avoid the looming epidemic.

The National Orientation Agency, NOA, in collaboration with UNICEF has embarked on health enlightenment programme for rural dwellers on the need to stop open defecation as a way of enhancing their health status.
The programme was taken to Alaoma autonomous community, Omoba in Isiala Ngwa South Council Area of Abia State, where they said that the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to see that communities across the country desist from open defecation in 2030.

Addressing the rural dwellers from Alaoma Autonomous Community, Omoba, while holding a Social Mobilisation Technical Committee, SOMTEC, outreach, a NOA/UNICEF resource person from Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, Mr. Theophilus Opara, disclosed that open defecation is still being practised in Abia as no community in the state has been declared open defecation-free.
According to Opara, open defecation is going on, on a large scale in Nigeria as about 70 per cent still practice open defecation due to ignorance of the health effects on society. He said that there was need for urgent intervention to end it. He lamented that in spite of Federal Government’s interventions so far in some communities in Nigeria, most communities still practice open defecation.
“Take for instance; there is no community in Abia State that is open defecation free. Only two local government areas in Cross River State have been declared open defecation free.
“So, the only way Nigeria can attain open defecation free status, is that every household must have its own toilets”, Opara said.
Speaking also another resource person from International Federation of Female Lawyers, FIDA, Mrs. Salome Akabuike said UNICEF condemns at anything that humiliates or limits the right of women in the society.

In his remarks, the traditional ruler of Alaoma autonomous community, Eze Gordy Nwakanma Nwankpa, lauded the NOA/UNICEF for the enlightenment programme and challenged subjects to put to practice all that they have been exposed to, especially as it regards to Essential Family Practices, EFPs.

But in an effort to practice clean living and promote health education, Ndibe community in Bende Council of Abia State has embarked on mass construction of Ventilation-Improved-Pit, VIP, toilets for use by their people.

The project was a product of aggressive UNICEF and National Orientation Agency, NOA, sponsored campaign against open defecation in some communities in Abia State. The VIP toilets are located at strategic places in the community for easy accessibility by the people. According a resident of the community, Mr. James Nkemakolam, the VIP project was the product of the sensitization on the dangers of open defecation.
According to him, more of the VIP toilets would be built in the community, explaining that the rural women in the community preach against open defecation due to its inherent dangers.
Mr. Goddy Onwuchekwa, the UNICEF Desk Officer in the National Orientation Agency Umuahia office, confirmed the development, saying that the two agencies carried the campaign against open defecation to all three senatorial zones in the state.
He noted that the rural dwellers were encouraged to drop their old practice of open lavatory and embrace VIP toilets for a better health condition, adding that it also “is affordable and much safer”.
According to him, some wealthy men in some communities in Aba South have also started building the VIP toilets for the less privileged in their neighbourhood, saying he was happy that the effort of the two agencies have started yielding good fruit. “As a result, more women in the state now patronize health centers instead of traditional homes for child delivery”, Onwuchekwa said, adding that more women have also embraced exclusive breast feeding.
Meanwhile, the National Orientation Agency and UNICEF have expressed dismay over the spate of open defecation in Abia communities which is capable of causing an epidemic.

In a lecture during a Speaking Session at Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN), Amaeze Ugwueke in Bende L.G.A, of Abia State, the resource person and retired director of nursing services, Deaconess Alice Chukwuocha urged MCN women group to embrace environmental re-engineering and encourage their husbands to construct at least Aqua Privy toilets for defecating.

Chukwuocha who dwelt  on personal hygiene as one of the Essential Family Practices (EFPs), advised the participants to correct the erroneous belief that diseases/germs does not kill African man, and imbibe the habit of regular hand wash.

The resource person who urged participants to contribute to the Essential Family Practices sensitization by educating their families and communities to seek proper healthcare services, hygienic practices, charged the women to introduce hand washing (which she said has eight steps) in their homes, communities, and evolved a programme for its implementation in various local churches of MCN in Ugwueke.

Contributing, the Abia State Director NOA, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Uduma urged the participants to become active contributors to the success of the campaign in the area by teaching people in their various communities about the EFPs.

Answering questions from newsmen shortly after the sensitization programme, the Women’s group President, Mrs. Obi Munachiso lamented that, “so many diseases we are suffering is as a result of negligence”.

Ebonyi state open defecation

The activities marking this year’s Mgbom N’Achara Day in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, ended on a wonderful note with a resolve by the community to preach against open defecation especially around the schools.

Speaking at the inauguration of a block of 4 water cistern toilet facilities at Mgbom Central School, a public health expert, Dr. Laz Eze explained that he decided to build the toilet facilities because of his passion for health and education development.

“I grew up practicing open defecation. The primary school I attended did not have toilet facilities. So, I fully understand the inconvenience the pupils and their teachers encounter and also the risks of sustaining injuries, attack by wild animals and even sexual harassment or rape associated with open defecation. The environmental pollution also poses health risks to members of the community and may have adverse effects on the performance of students in schools. I’m really excited that this toilet will save the pupils and their teachers from the health risks associated with open defecation, improve sanitation in the school, ensure a cleaner environment and contribute towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals”, Dr. Eze said.

He gave the credit to Rotary eClubOne for sponsoring the project through its 2017/2018 International Service Grant and the African Youth Initiative on Population, Health and Development (AfrYPoD) for leading the implementation.

Eze also expressed gratitude to the community for their cooperation and ensuring the success of the Mgbom N’Achara Schools Sanitation (MASS) Project.

He announced a donation of information/education materials (notebooks, stickers, calendar, etc) and sanitation equipment including waste baskets, waste bags, packers, buckets and locally constructed hand washing facilities to the four schools in the community.

In his remarks, Lt. Col. Igwe Omoke, who performed the inauguration on behalf of the leadership of Mgbom N’Achara Development Union (MADU), thanked Dr Eze for demonstrating his love for the community and described his gesture as an action worthy of emulation.

The commissioning was followed by handover of keys to the school authorities and training of pupils on the proper use of the toilet and sanitation facilities. The school had existed for over 50 years without a toilet facility.

Earlier, MADU Vice President, Okezie Ugwu, Omoke and other leaders of the community had inspected a renovated classroom block at Ikwuano Primary School, an Information Communication Technology Centre, there and a completed Examination Hall at Mgbom N’Achara Comprehensive Secondary School, Obuegu, where they expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done and commended all members of the community who helped to make the projects possible.

President General of the community, Chukwuemeka Eze, whose address was presented by his vice, Ugwu, said they had every reason to thank God.

Meanwhile, Ebonyi state has arrested and prosecuted 138 persons for defecating in open places.

Then Commissioner for Environment, Ogodo Nome, disclosed this in Abakaliki, the state capital.

Also, over 60 landlords in Abakaliki alone have been prosecuted for refusal to install toilet facilities in their houses.

Mr. Nome attributed the spread of most diseases in the state to poor sanitary conditions by residents.

According to him, lack of toilet facilities and dirty environment can lead to contraction of diseases and warned that.

“Anyone who erects buildings in the state without toilet facilities will be sanctioned according to the state environmental law”, he warned.
Already, Dr Kelechi Okezie, an environmental expert has advocated for tougher sanction against open defecation and other practices that posed environmental hazards in Ebonyi.
Okezie, founder and Executive Director of the Neighborhood Environment Watch -Foundation (NEW-F) made the call in an interview recently in Abakaliki.
Okezie noted that the rate at which people engaged in the practice was assuming an alarming dimension in parts of the state including the state capital. He said that the practice was not restricted to Ebonyi and therefore, called on governments at various levels to impose stiffer penalties on offenders. The environmentalist called for strict enforcement of the extant laws that protected the environment from abuse and degradation.
He said: “There are environmental laws that regulate or impose penalties on open defecation. “There are environment health officers who are empowered to monitor and enforce extant environmental laws and other environmental related issues in the state. Government should strengthen the powers of the environmental health officers to enhance effective and optimal service delivery.
“Government should also set up an environmental task force to complement the efforts of the environmental health officers to ensure a total war against open defecation. The task force should be charged with powers to arrest and prosecute offenders of open defecation.
“Government has a greater responsibility in the quest to achieve a cleaner, better and zero open defecation environment by ensuring that offenders are tried and sentenced. There should be mobile courts and Special tribunals that should be saddled with the power to try suspects.
“All residential and commercial buildings without approved and functional toilet facilities should be sealed and owners of such buildings arrested and prosecuted in special courts set up by law to try environmental offenders. Markets, motor parks, churches and other public buildings should be fitted with functional approved toilet facilities.
“Government and private individuals should provide commercial mobile toilets to enhance quick access to those who are in transit and in need of convenience to ease themselves”.
He urged those with unfenced undeveloped landed property within the capital city to develop or fence them to discourage people from defecating in those places. The environmentalist called for the reintroduction of the disbanded Ebonyi State Environmental Protection Agency (EBSEPA) to coordinate activities aimed at eliminating all environmental abuses and degradation.

Continued on part 7 (https://www.odogwublog.com/south-easts-unending-quest-to-attain-open-defecation-free-society-by-2025-7/)
This investigative piece was written by Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD. Odogwu, a culture and tradition aficionado and a foodie is a known Journalist, Editor, Media Consultant and famous Blogger, as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, publisher and Conversationalist @ www.odogwublog.com among others.

Phone Number: 08060750240

E-mail : [email protected]
[email protected]