Dr Muhammad Danhassan, Executive Director, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), has urged FCT residents to partner with the private sector to provide commercial toilets in markets and other business areas.
He made the call at a public sensitisation to mark World Toilet Day, at Bwari market, on Friday, in Abuja.
According to him, provision of standard toilets can impact greatly on the nation’s economy by creating more wealth and employment opportunities, thereby reducing the number of people living below the poverty line.
“The significance of the celebration of toilets raises awareness about the 3.6 billion people globally living without access to safely managed sanitation.
“When some people in a community do not have safe toilets, everyone’s health is threatened.
“ Poor sanitation contaminates drinking-water sources, rivers, and food crops, spreading deadly diseases among the larger population,” he said.
He highlighted the various diseases prevalent in our society due to poor hygiene during and after using toilets, urging maximum cooperation to uplift the living standards of community members.
”It is high time to stop open defecation practice because of the diseases it causes, such as cholera, malaria, diarrhoea, among others”, the RUWASSA director said..
He, therefore, urged residents of the FCT to give their support and maximum cooperation to the administration within their communities, in order to uplift the living standards of the citizens
Mrs Aisha Bakpet, Head of department, Sanitation, in RUWASSA, introduced a modern latrine plastic device called ‘Sato Pan’ which, she described, as healthier and safer for low income earners, especially those living in rural and semi-urban areas.
She also appealed to the residents to imbibe the culture and use of the Sato Pan, because of its cost effectiveness. (NAN)