Don expresses concern over poor sewerage system in Nigeria
Sewage
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Dr Emmanuel Akpabio, of the Department of Geography and Natural Resources Management, University of Uyo, has expressed worry over poor sewage system to manage water pollution in parts of the country.
Akpabio said this at a one-day National Workshop Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Understanding Science and Policy in Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, Nigeria’s inability to evolve practical and context relevant policies for WASH has hampered efforts to secure and sustain improved performances, especially in rural areas.
He said it was a matter for regret that only Lagos, FCT and few states had functional sewage system, saying this was a big challenge to safe drinking water and sanitary services.
He said that in addressing the challenges of the sector, deliberate policies to promote safe disposal of waste, strengthening political commitment would be of greater advantage.
“Nigeria’s inability to evolve practical and context relevant policies for the WASH sector has hampered its efforts to secure and sustain improved performances most, especially in urban areas.
“It is a known fact that only limited area in Lagos, the FCT and few states have sewage system, this means a large number of states have not been able to sustain a functional sewerage system for their population.
“Within this context, the task of securing access to safe drinking water and sanitary services is transferred on to the ordinary citizens who have to depend on all forms of unimproved sources.”
Akpabio also called on all tiers of government to accelerate progress toward meeting the sanitation and hygiene needs of the populace.
He said that the recent declaration of emergency on water and sanitation sector had shown the highest political will to change the narratives.
Mrs Chizoba Opara, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, noted that there was the need to change the ‘business as usual ‘ doctrine if Nigeria would meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on water and sanitation by 2030.
“The SDG goal six stipulates that there is a demand for WASH services to be provided in an adequate quantity and quality on premises and at an affordable price.
“Nigeria is among the nations in the world with the highest population of open defecators estimated at over 46 million, and 67 per cent of the population lack basic sanitation facilities.
“However, in order to ensure that this goal is met, with no one left behind, we must be committed to reconcile our actions and move forward as a collective effort to succeed.”
Opara added the recent inauguration of the National Action Plan for the Revitalisation of the WASH sector was an indication of the priority the present administration places to address these challenges.
Mrs Glory Otuojo, of the Development Impact Pathfinders Initiative, said that there was the need for Nigeria to embrace the Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) concept to end open defecation practice.
According to her, the ECOSAN concept is a new paradigm in sanitation that recognises human excreta and water from households not as a waste but as resources that can be recovered, treated, where necessary, and safely used again.
She noted that Ecological sanitation systems offered a range of low cost to high tech sanitation options, hygienically safe, comfortable to use, environmentally friendly and often more economic than conventional systems.
“In addition, they ideally enable a complete recovery of nutrients in household wastewater and their reuse in agriculture.’’
In this way, they help preserve soil fertility and safeguard long-term food security, while minimising the consumption and pollution of water resources.”
Otuojo said that as the global population and urban communities increases, sanitation crisis increase, hence the need to promote policies to improve lives of Nigerians. (NAN)
TAK/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf