Rotary Club seeks end to open defecation in Abuja

The Rotary Club of Abuja has urged the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) to build more infrastructure and enforce the anti open defecation law to end the menace in the city. Speaking during a press briefing yesterday, the District Governor Nominee Rotary District 9127, Rtn (Dr) Chijioke Ekechukwu, said it is unacceptable that streets in […]

The Rotary Club of Abuja has urged the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) to build more infrastructure and enforce the anti open defecation law to end the menace in the city.

Speaking during a press briefing yesterday, the District Governor Nominee Rotary District 9127, Rtn (Dr) Chijioke Ekechukwu, said it is unacceptable that streets in Abuja are littered with faeces which can cause public health hazard.

He identified areas like Kubwa, Garki, Kuje, among others, as areas where open defecation is widely practiced. 

“In these places, you will see a lot of people defecating in the middle of the road, in between the two roads. We as Rotarians think this is an eyesore and unacceptable. The country is so developed that we shouldn’t be expecting to have people defecate on the road and children are watching them, thinking it is good.”

While stating that the club has written to the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, he said the club wants to advocate for its end to protect the environment.

He added that there was a need to create a taskforce to parade the road to ensure that people who are caught defecating on the streets are punished. 

On his part, the Club President, Rtn Oyebanji Abiodun, said the campaign was in line with Sustainable Development Goal, article six, which centred on water. 

 

“By the time people defecate openly, their waste will go into our boreholes and water reservoirs, which will eventually result in the breakdown of public health.”