Lagos Residents Blame Open Defecation On High Cost Of Using Public Toilets

As open defecation compounds the problem of mounting waste crisis in the Lagos metropolis, many residents have fingered inadequate public toilet facilities and high cost of their usage as the root causes of open defecation in the state.

A resident, who simply identified himself as Sunday and a clothes and general goods trader at the popular Katangua Market, told LEADERSHIP that one of the reasons people engage in open defecation and urination is because they are often in a hurry and cannot find a public toilet when they need one.

He also noted that some residents may have health conditions, such as diabetes, that cause them to urinate frequently or need to use the toilet urgently, saying such people may struggle when they cannot find accessible toilet facilities nearby.

Another residents Mr Olabisi Juwon, a furniture maker at Ile Epo–Super axis identified three major challenges contributing to open defecation and urination as lack of information on public toilet locations in the metropolis, inadequate access to them and inadequate provision of public toilets by the state government.

He explained that many people do not know where public toilets are located because there is insufficient publicity and information about available facilities.

He noted that toilets are not available in many accessible locations where people need them. He gave the example of the area opposite his shop, near a waste disposal site along the Ile Epo- Super route, where he said there was no toilet nearby.

According to him, people who need to ease themselves in that area may resort to open defecation or open urination because they cannot find an accessible alternative.

He expressed concern that the government had not provided enough public toilets in strategic locations. He argued that areas such as the one around the waste disposal site should have toilet facilities to serve traders, commuters and other people passing through the area.

A seller of antiseptics and hygiene-related products in Katangua Market who spoke on condition of anonymity raised concerns about the high cost of using public toilets, explaining that people may have to pay as much as ₦200 for using the toilet.

She noted that the high cost could become a significant burden for small-scale traders who earn modest profits from their businesses.

Using herself and her mother as an example, she explained that if both of them needed to use the toilet several times a day, the total cost would take a considerable portion of their income.

Although she acknowledged that open defecation and open urination were not good practices, she explained that some traders might feel they have little choice when they cannot afford to pay for toilet facilities repeatedly.

Her statement highlights the financial challenges small-scale traders face in accessing sanitation facilities and how the cost of using public toilets may discourage some people from using them.

On its plans to eradicate the menace of open defecation in the state, the state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab said the state is making significant progress in tackling open defecation in the state.

According to him, the Ministry is currently building 20 toilet facilities consisting of 200 Toilet Unit and 40 Bathrooms with urinals for male.

He said the facility is about 70% completed, including provisions for People with Disability (PWD) and will be solar powered with an on-site treatment plant.

Wahab added that more than 150 individuals had been arrested for the offence in the previous year, adding that the arrests included squatters displaced from pedestrian bridges, which were subsequently cleaned and restored.

“The Lagos State government currently has over 1710 public toilets across parks, markets and residential areas in 20 LGAs and 37 LCDA,” he said.