Lagos tasks public toilet operators on sanitation, service delivery

The Lagos State government has trained public toilet operators in new sanitation techniques and operations to ensure efficient service delivery.

The Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, addressed the participants during a training workshop for public toilet operators and janitors in Lagos State, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ikeja.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating open defecation and other environmental nuisances in order to reduce vulnerability to disease outbreaks and promote social security across the metropolis.

Akodu emphasised that the state government acknowledges the crucial role played by janitors and public toilet operators and the necessity of enhancing their capacity to address service delivery challenges in line with the administration’s agenda.

He added that the training aimed to teach best practices in toilet management, focusing on eradicating open defecation in line with the Federal Government’s target of achieving an Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025. He added that the State Government adopted the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign,” which was flagged off in 2021.

He stressed that the campaign has been taken to the grassroots and, to date, launched in 11 local councils across the state. The campaign is in addition to regular sanitation advocacy programmes in markets and communities across the state.

Akodu maintained that the government is determined to act decisively against anyone engaging in open defecation in accordance with the state’s extant laws.

According to him, Lagos will not spend billions on infrastructure, only for some people to mess it up.

“Lagos has taken it upon itself to recruit officers who will handle the different areas, especially the Berger area, so that it will not degenerate. Enforcers have started arresting people who defecate on the median along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway (Lagos Axis), and they will be prosecuted accordingly. I hope this will put fear among other culprits.

“I will use this opportunity to appeal to the government of Ogun State to take up where Lagos stopped and enforce the same laws as Lagos government is doing so that open defecation will be brought to the barest minimum,” he said.

In his remarks earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr Tajudeen Gaji, noted that the government is committed to and will continue to ensure good working conditions for toilet operators and janitors.