![Lagos state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab [PHOTO: FB Tokunbo Wahab]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2024/01/Tokunbo-Wahab-e1705856685366.jpg?fit=1079%2C746&ssl=1)
The Lagos State Government has appealed to banks, eateries, filling stations and other privately owned businesses to grant members of the public access to their restrooms, in a renewed push to curb open defecation and improve sanitation across the state.
The appeal comes as the government announces it is expanding public sanitation infrastructure, with 1,710 functional public toilets currently deployed across strategic locations in Lagos.
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According to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a post on Saturday, government efforts alone are not sufficient to meet the sanitation needs of the state’s rapidly growing population.
“The government cannot do this alone. We are encouraging businesses such as filling stations, banks, eateries, and other public-facing facilities to make their restrooms accessible to the public where possible,” Mr Wahab said.
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He said broader participation from the private sector would help expand access to sanitation facilities and reduce indiscriminate defecation in public spaces.
The commissioner also said enforcement of environmental sanitation laws had been intensified, adding that offenders were being arrested and prosecuted.
“At the same time, we continue to enforce environmental sanitation laws. Individuals caught engaging in open defecation are being arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. These measures are necessary to protect public health, preserve dignity, and maintain a cleaner environment for all,” he said.
Enforcement, infrastructure drive
The ongoing state-level interventions are aimed at achieving open defecation-free status, including regulatory enforcement and training of sanitation operators.
Recently, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said it had engaged public toilet operators as part of efforts to improve hygiene standards and sanitation management across the state.
According to a statement by ministry spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Omobolaji Gaji, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating open defecation by 2025.
He said the strategy is built around four pillars: advocacy, standardisation and regulation, infrastructure expansion, and monitoring and enforcement.
Represented by the Director of Sanitation Services, Hassan Sanuth, Mr Gaji said a recent capacity-building programme for toilet operators was part of efforts to professionalise sanitation services.
He said operators must adhere to approved guidelines and best practices, warning that violations would attract sanctions under existing environmental laws.
The state, he added, had previously inaugurated an anti–open defecation squad to strengthen enforcement.
A facilitator at a recent training session for toilet operators, Sanitarian Cyril Babasope, described public toilets as critical to both human and environmental health, urging stronger collaboration between government and private operators.
He said access to safe and properly managed sanitation facilities remains uneven, stressing the need for properly sited toilets, trained personnel, and compliant waste disposal systems.
He explained that the state’s broader goal is to reduce environmental health risks, improve urban hygiene, and move closer to sustainable sanitation coverage through a combination of infrastructure expansion, regulation, and private sector participation.
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Public health concerns persist
Nigeria continues to face significant sanitation challenges despite ongoing government campaigns.
Data from the Clean Nigeria campaign indicated that millions of Nigerians still practice open defecation, with only a small fraction of local government areas certified as open defecation-free. The figures show that hundreds of LGAs across the country are still affected, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing state governments.
Public health experts warned that poor sanitation contributes to the spread of preventable diseases, increases healthcare costs, and places additional pressure on already stretched urban infrastructure, particularly in densely populated cities like Lagos.
