Rotary Pushes For Crackdown On Open Defecation

Rotary Club of Abuja (The Grand Father) has called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to provide more sanitation infrastructure and enforce existing laws against open defecation to address the growing public health concern in the nation’s capital.

At a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the district governor- nominee of Rotary District 9127, Chijioke Ekechukwu, described the practice as unacceptable and a major environmental and health hazard.

Ekechukwu said areas such as Kubwa, Garki and Kuje were among locations where open defecation remains prevalent.

“In these places, you see people defecating in open spaces, even between major roads. It is an eyesore and unacceptable in a developing capital city like Abuja,” he said.

He added that the club had written to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, urging the administration to intensify efforts toward ending the practice.

According to him, beyond infrastructure provision, authorities should establish a task force to monitor affected areas and ensure offenders are sanctioned in line with existing laws.

“We want sustained advocacy and enforcement because Nigeria should not still be battling this problem at this stage of development,” he said.

Also speaking, the president of the club, Rtn Oyebanji Abiodun, said the campaign aligns with Sustainable Development Goal Six on clean water and sanitation.

He warned that open defecation could contaminate water sources, including boreholes and reservoirs, thereby increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and other public health challenges.