Photos: South-East records mixed fortunes in sanitation, open defecation fight

States in Nigeria's South-East region are experiencing varied success in their efforts to improve environmental sanitation and combat open defecation. While some urban centers have enhanced waste management systems, others continue to battle persistent issues of indiscriminate waste disposal and open defecation, according to a survey by Vanguard. Abia State has notably made significant progress in sanitation, improving waste evacuation and increasing the availability of public toilet facilities. In contrast, Ebonyi and Anambra states are still grappling with widespread open defecation and environmental pollution, despite government initiatives.

In Ebonyi State, the capital city of Abakaliki has seen consistent refuse evacuation, with contractors regularly clearing dump sites and preventing waste accumulation on major roads. The former Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Victor Chukwu, acknowledged that while delays in evacuation are minimal, open defecation remains a significant challenge. This is attributed to the prevalence of bushes around the capital and a reluctance among residents in shared compounds to utilize public toilets. Chukwu stated that a task force has been established to apprehend and prosecute offenders, alongside intensified public sensitization campaigns on the health risks associated with open defecation.

Abia State, meanwhile, is witnessing a steady decline in open defecation. This improvement is linked to the government's expansion of public sanitation infrastructure and strengthened environmental management. Residents credit the construction of public toilets in strategic locations and the commissioning of the modern Umuahia Central Bus Terminal for providing accessible restroom facilities. The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has also been praised for its role in regular refuse evacuation, which has substantially reduced the overflowing waste heaps that once marred parts of Umuahia and Aba. Although isolated instances of open defecation still occur in specific areas like railway corridors and drainage channels, the practice is reportedly no longer widespread among the general populace.

“

We are trying our best to check open defecation. We have a task force that arrests offenders and takes them to the Environmental Court. We are also engaging residents through sensitisation, and I believe we are making gradual progress.