By Samson Adeyanju
Bassey Bassey, Executive Director of the HipCity Innovation Centre, has called on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration to intensify efforts in combating open defecation, urging Minister Nyesom Wike to enforce robust laws and regulations.
Speaking at the inaugural Abuja Urban Sanitation Conference on World Toilet Day 2024, Bassey expressed concern over the absence of open defecation-free (ODF) zones in the FCT.
He stressed the importance of heightened action to tackle the menace.
The conference, organized by HipCity Innovation Centre in collaboration with the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Directorate (FCT-RUWASSA), aimed to localize the Federal Government’s Revised Implementation Strategy on sanitation to the FCT context.
Bassey praised the government’s redesigned campaign to end open defecation, describing it as a reflection of political will.
“The revised strategy by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is about domesticating the national document and localizing it to the FCT context,” Bassey said.
During his address, Bassey also introduced HipCity’s “Swag Toilet” initiative, designed to train toilet business owners and encourage youth involvement in sanitation.
He emphasized the potential for young people to turn sanitation challenges into opportunities, such as recycling and biogas generation, to manage human waste creatively.
“We need young people to see opportunities within these challenges,” he added.
Bassey called for collaboration with the private sector and the establishment of enabling laws to attract investment in sanitation infrastructure.
He highlighted the importance of community awareness in fostering behavioral change, stating, “If people know, they become sensitized.”
Luke Ulom, Overseeing Director of FCT-RUWASSA, outlined the FCT administration’s efforts under Minister Nyesom Wike, including the enactment of laws and provision of sanitation tools to improve hygiene.
“We are working to change attitudes and ensure communities embrace proper waste management,” Ulom said.
Chizoma Opara, National Coordinator of the Clean Nigeria Campaign, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to eliminating open defecation nationwide by 2030. “Currently, 135 local governments are open defecation-free.
The new strategy will facilitate multi-sectoral and inter-ministerial collaborations to achieve an ODF-free Nigeria,” she noted.
The conference underscored the need for innovative solutions, policy advocacy, and grassroots engagement to effectively address the sanitation crisis in the FCT and across Nigeria.
