The global environmental sanitation crisis cannot be denied. About 40% of the world’s population still lacks access to improved sanitation. Important lessons from the past must be applied today if the crisis is to be averted.
Sanitation has suffered from a lack of prioritization for as long as it has remained the poor relation to water supply. Since the demise of the second Republic in 1983, environmental sanitation has become a prominent issue in Nigeria. Countless sanitation edicts have been promulgated by State Governments. Many of these edicts have at least temporarily had considerable impact on the lives of citizens in the major cities.
The preoccupation with sanitation reached a peak in 1985 during the latter months of the Buhari regime. Environmental sanitation was chosen as the theme for the fifth phase of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI), which was launched in Kano on 29th July 1985 by the then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Major-General Idiagbon. He announced that a one million naira prize would be awarded for the cleanest State capital.
Sequel to that, frenzied sanitary activity ensued in all the State capitals. State sanitation task forces were organized, additional sanitation workers were hired to remove rubbish from government offices and businesses were directed to close on designated clean-up days, and the activities of mobile sanitation courts established to prosecute backsliders are intensified.
During the month of August 1985, many permanent and long piles of rubbish disappeared and drains which had been clogged for years were opened. Most of this work was accompanied by community self help groups aided by workers from the offices and factories.
The frenetic pace of the fifth phase of WAI was slowed at the end of the Buhari government on 27th August 1985. Although the new Head of State did not cancel the WAI, he deemphasized it and counselled against the excesses which had become characteristic of its execution. The one million naira prize for the cleanest State capital was revoked, and Federal government pronouncements on sanitation once again became infrequent. At the State level, environmental sanitation was also deemphasized, although various issues linked to sanitation have continued to be raised periodically.
Then in 2005, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched the National Environmental Sanitation Policy including its operating guidelines and declared June 28, every year as National Environmental Sanitation Day.
The commemoration for 2023 was shifted to 13th of July, 2023 because of the Sallah Public Holidays. The theme for this year is “Promoting Sustainable Waste Management for a Healthy Environment: Stop Open Dumping”. It is aimed at promoting behavioural change in sanitation and hygiene practises amongst citizens. Ensure our people bag their wastes which must be usually separated at source according to their types; and ensure wastes are not disposed indiscriminately in gutters/drains, along the streets and public roads, empty plots of land, water bodies, etc.
It underscores the necessity for sound structures to be put in place for containment, collection, treatment, reuse, recycle and final disposal of all types solid, liquid or gaseous waste thereby ensuring proper waste management and ending open dumping.
The provision of safe functional sanitary facilities and services is a necessity for sustainable waste management. This will go a long way in ensuring high level of behavioural change, access to clean water and sanitation as well as safe management of sanitation.
As Anambra State marks National Environmental Sanitation Day, the Solution Government of Professor Chukwuma Soludo through the Anambra State Ministry of Environment reminds Ndi Anambra everywhere including households, business premises, schools, markets, motor parks, hospitals, etc to clean their surroundings regularly and have sanitary facilities which are functional to ensure the protection and sustainability of our Eco-System, aesthetic values of the environment and natural resources.
Written by DR. FELIX ODIMEGWU
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