I constructed bamboo toilet to tackle open defecation – Environmentalist

Worried by the continuous practice of open defecation in Kaduna communities, an environmentalist, Ibrahim Salisu, has constructed a bamboo toilet which he said will reduce environmental diseases and infections spreading through the air. Daily Trust gathered that the bamboo toilet, which is an upgraded version of the conventional pit toilet, can be constructed in rural […]

Worried by the continuous practice of open defecation in Kaduna communities, an environmentalist, Ibrahim Salisu, has constructed a bamboo toilet which he said will reduce environmental diseases and infections spreading through the air.

Daily Trust gathered that the bamboo toilet, which is an upgraded version of the conventional pit toilet, can be constructed in rural communities to avoid open defecation.

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“The practice of open defecation comes with significant health risks, is linked to deaths from diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and other diseases and infections. It is also a risk factor for violence against women and girls both in rural and urban areas who do not have access to proper toilets,” Salisu said.

The environmentalist decried that in the 21st Century, many Nigerians still defecated in bushes, gutters, sidewalks, motor and recreation parks, as well as rivers, noting that though some effort had been made to reduce the practice, lack of commitment among citizens was a challenge.

Salsu who is the founder of Teku Farms in Kaduna said he now trained young bricklayers, labourers and house engineers on new techniques of constructing bamboo toilets and bathrooms in order to reduce the daily battle to access toilet facilities.

“It’s really unfortunate that most landlords in the cities build houses without thinking of creating more toilets for their tenants. Most landlords are after money from the number of rooms without thinking of creating toilets and bathrooms for the health of their tenants,” he stated.

He then called on Nigerians to embrace building bamboo toilets and bathrooms to reduce the burden of open defecation, while urging stakeholders, including government, traditional and religious leaders, to equally join the campaign towards saving the society from the hazards associated with open defecation.

Also speaking with our correspondent, a Climatologist, Dr Piman Hoffman, said according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in every four Nigerians amounting to about 47 million people still practise open defecation.

Dr Piman who is the Assistant Director of African Climate Reporters said: “There is poor awareness on the dangers associated with open defecation to human beings and animals.

“Open defecation affects a nation’s overall economic performance by causing disease and death, loss of productivity due to illness, costs for accessing and treating drinking water, losses in education and time.”