Efforts to tackle open defecation in Cross River State gained momentum as stakeholders in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector backed a proposed law aimed at strengthening sanitation enforcement across the state.
The support was expressed during a public hearing on the Open Defecation Prohibition Bill held at the Cross River State House of Assembly in Calabar, the state capital.
Programme Manager of Self Help Africa, Ferdinand Anok, described open defecation as a persistent sanitation challenge in the state, warning that it continues to threaten public health and environmental safety.
According to him, statistics indicate that 41 per cent of the state’s population still practices open defecation, while access to basic WASH services remains inadequate. He said only eight per cent of schools, 0.4 per cent of healthcare facilities and six per cent of public places have access to basic sanitation services.
Also contributing, the lawmaker representing Etung State Constituency, State House of Assembly, who is also Chairman, Committee on Water Resources and Hygiene, Kingsley Ntui, called for stricter enforcement measures to discourage the practice, particularly in ravines, uncompleted buildings and drainages.
He noted that the proposed legislation would provide legal backing to sanitation regulations and help reduce disease outbreaks linked to poor hygiene and contaminated water sources.
Ntui added that Nigeria’s target to end open defecation has recorded slow progress, making state-level legislation necessary to accelerate results.
Relevant stakeholders in the water sector also stressed the importance of public awareness, improved infrastructure and coordinated government action to address sanitation gaps.
They said the bill, when passed, would reinforce existing WASH policies, promote accountability and support Cross River State’s plan to eliminate open defecation by 2030.
Stakeholders expressed confidence that the proposed law would strengthen sanitation governance and improve hygiene conditions across communities in the state.
By Stina Ezin, Calabar