Nasarawa achieves compliance on presidential directive on open defecation

The Nasarawa State Government has lauded the people of the state for obeying the presidential directive on open defecation.

Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in the state, Mr Musa Ibrahim, gave the commendation while briefing newsmen yesterday in Lafia after the June edition of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

According to the commissioner, almost all new houses and public buildings being built in the state now has toilet facilities in compliance with the policy of the government to end open defecation by 2025.

He said the ministry has set up the machinery to supervise existing households and ensure each has toilet facilities and those without it make provision for it.

He explained that so far so good, the people are complying substantially with the team from the government deployed to all communities in the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Mr Musa Ibrahim, however, expressed worry over the attitudes of few others who still defecate openly and threatened to sanction anyone caught in the act.

“We are collaborating with traditional rulers and other stakeholders to intensify sensitisation against open defecation,” he said.

The commissioner also commended the people for clearing their drains and attributed the total absence of flooding in the state so far to the proactive attitudes of the public and measures taken by the government.

He added that the government recently inaugurated Flood Early Warning Equipment at Umaisha community in Toto Local Government Area to help in averting flooding.

He noted that the equipment would alert the relevant agencies of government on likely flooding to enable actions to be taken before it occurs.

“We are currently training staff of the ministry on how to operate the machine for the benefit of the state,” he said.