OPEN DEFECATION: FG TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ENFORCEMENT OF SANITATION LAWS

Minister of the Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas has warned that issues of open defecation in Nigeria will no longer be business as usual as his Ministry will henceforth deploy all its regulatory framework to ensure adequate enforcement of sanitation laws in the country.

To this effect, the Minister called on all Environmental Health Officers/Sanitary inspectors across all levels of government to step up their routine sanitary inspection of premises in their various jurisdictions and ensure that everyone everywhere in Nigeria has access to safe toilets.

The Minister said this at the 2023 World Toilet Day commemoration in Abuja on Tuesday.

The World Toilet Day is an annual United Nations observance promoted through a worldwide public campaign that encourages action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.

It is marked on 19th November of every year as declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013.

This is aimed to raise awareness about the billions of people living without access to safely managed sanitation.

As part of the activities for the commemoration of this year’s event, the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Education carried out advocacy, sensitization and sanitary inspection of Federal Government Unity schools in FCT.

Findings from the sanitary inspection of Federal Government Unity schools in the FCT revealed the following that some of the toilets in the hostels in some of the schools visited were locked because they are not in good condition.

There was poor or inadequate water supply in some of the schools which affects the use and access to toilets by the students who obviously practice open defecation as there are evidence of presence of excreta in the surrounding environment.

Also observed was defective septic tanks which can serve as breeding place for pests and vectors of public health importance such as mosquitoes, rats, snakes etc.

He said: “I wish to therefore use this opportunity to call on the Unity schools across the country which may likely have similar sanitation challenges to take note and improve on their sanitation situation.

“I wish to inform you all that my Ministry in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) will continue with the sanitary inspection of government schools across the country and reward the cleanest school at the end of the exercise as one of the post-World Toilet Day commemoration activities.”

Abbas solicited the support of Development Partners, NGOs CSOs, the Organized Private Sector, Community Leaders and indeed everyone to promote good sanitation and hygiene practices for overall environmental health protection.

The Minister reminded the stakeholders that the countdown to 2030 has begun and we must accelerate progress to ensure everyone has access to toilets by 2030.

He called on the organized private sector and commercial entities to support the government by contributing their quota to the establishment of functional toilet facilities across the country for general public use.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev said that the practice of open defecation was linked to sanitation related diseases which impacts negatively on our socio-economic development and aggravates poverty.

He said access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are basic human rights which are critical to the socio-economic development of any nation.

The Minister said: “It also contributes to human capital development such as early childhood survival, health and educational attainment. Just like other members of the international community, Nigeria is committed to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of which target 6.2 for Sanitation seeks to “achieve by 2030, access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.”

The 2023 World Toilet Day coincides with the 4th year anniversary of the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign, under the National programme to End Open Defecation in Nigeria.

OYO TO EMPLOY 200 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WORKERS TO PREVENT DISEASE OUTBREAK

    GOVERNOR SEYI MAKINDE

The waste management consultant to Oyo State Government, Mottainai Recycling Ltd. has announced plans to recruit 200 environmental health workers to forestall the outbreak of diseases in the state.

Ms Uloma Airhienbuwa, the Chief Strategy Officer of the firm, made this known in a statement on Saturday.

Airhienbuwa said the environmental health workers would educate the people on the best sanitary practices.

“We have concluded arrangements to recruit about 200 environmental health officers to forestall outbreak of diseases in Oyo State,” she said.

Airhienbuwa called on residents of the state to be conscious of their environment and support the efforts of the government to ensure healthy environment.

She added that the environmental health officers to be recruited would be deployed to all the local government areas of the state.

Airhienbuwa added that they would educate residents on the best sanitary practices to avoid the spread of transmittable and communicable diseases.

She said the environmental health officers would be deployed at the state’s gateways to ensure and adequate disease prevention measures across the state boundaries.

“Globally, the job of environmental health officers as preventive health workers is important in keeping our environment healthy and clean at all times.

“We are seeking to employ environmental health officers, environmental health technologists, environmental health technicians and environmental health assistants for efficient waste management in the state,” she said.

Airhienbuwa, however, urged the residents to cooperate with the government in the provision of healthy and sustainable waste management to prevent outbreaks of diseases in the state.

CONTAMINATED SPRITE BRANDS IN CIRCULATION, NAFDAC WARNS NIGERIANS

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted Nigerians to a batch of  unwholesome Sprite brands contained in 50cl glass bottles, currently circulating in Nigerian Market.

NAFDAC said the product was discovered following a consumer complaint received and investigated by the post-marketing surveillance unit of the agency.

The agency said the investigation revealed that over five crates of the implicated batch of Sprite 50cl glass bottles were discovered to be contaminated with particles.

“The affected batch of the unwholesome product has already been sampled for laboratory analysis in the NAFDAC laboratory and the Agency has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to carry out surveillance and mop up the implicated batch of the unwholesome product.

“Similarly, a comprehensive current Good Manufacturing Practice Inspection of the manufacturing site is to be carried out by the Agency, this is to find the route cause of the contamination and ensure compliance to marketing authorisation.

“Furthermore, the company, (Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (Abuja plant) has been directed to recall the implicated batch of the unwholesome product and report to NAFDAC for effective monitoring,” NAFDAC said in a statement on its website.

NAFDAC said the product manufacturer was Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (Abuja plant) with AZ6 22:32 batch number.

It added that the product was manufactured on April 4, 2023.

“NAFDAC implores distributors, retailers, and consumers to exercise caution and vigilance to avoid the consumption, sale, or distribution of the unwholesome product. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.

“Anyone in possession of the above-mentioned batch of Sprite 50cl glass bottles is advised to submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office. If you, or someone you know, have consumed this product or suffered any adverse reaction/event after consumption, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional,” NAFDAC added.

EHCON TO GO TOUGH ON ABATTOIRS AND OTHER REGULATED PREMISES

    Dr. Yakubu Baba Mohammed

The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), said it will go tough on all regulated premises in the country especially abattoirs, including filling stations and places where fuel explorations are taking place.

The Registrar/CEO Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr. Yakubu Baba Mohammed has disclosed that the Council will go hard on regulated premises such as the abattoirs, filling stations and places where fuel exploration is taking place.

Dr. Baba made this known in Abuja during the Council’s courtesy visit to Daily Trust headquarters.

The Registrar revealed that so many opportunities of disease transmission is happening within  regulated premises.

“What is happening in the abattoirs, especially, is what is increasing the rate of cancer in Nigeria because, apart from the poor sanitation and hygiene situation, you will see a lot of smoke coming out as a result of using the tyre to smoke the meat. The smoke itself is also affecting the ozone layer and contributing significantly to the issue of climate change”, he noted.

He added that the Council is looking at the issues of filling station’s safety and sanitary measures while also looking at our abattoirs where our meat are processed.

Dr. Baba called for collaboration with Daily Trust and other Media organizations, saying:“we deem it fit to start visiting Media organizations in order to create awareness on the mandate and also the responsibility of the Council so that when we get to the field, it is our belief that the Media are going to play a vital role”.

The EHCON boss further disclosed that, the Council is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to provide a smart abattoir, where generated waste that contain a lot of virus can be converted into bio-gas adding that, “we are here not just to identify the problems but also find solutions”.

According to the Council boss, “with the support of the Federal Ministry of Environment, the council has established the first environmental health reference laboratory.

“EHCON has over fifty thousand environmental health officers who have been empowered by law to ensure that the environment is adequately policed by them”, he said.

Speaking earlier, the Group Executive Director Business Development, Ahmed Ibrahim Shekarau welcomed and thanked the Registrar for his timely visit at a critical moment like this when the Council want to embark on enforcement of the environmental heath laws.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION COVERS ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE

The environmental health profession covers all aspects of life, we are a very important group of people and the jobs we do matter to an awful lot of people...keep doing what you do ☺️

EHCON INSPECTS SCHOOL, DISCOVERS SOLAR POWER FACILITY IN SCHOOL EMITTING TOXIC SUBSTANCE

    Dr. Ahmed Baba Yakubu

The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria

(EHCON) paid a visit to Junior Secondary School (GSS) Gui in the Abuja Municipal

Area Council (AMAC) to assess the health

impact of damaged solar batteries.

The school, which has about 300 students

and also teachers in the Federal Capital Territory, shares boundary with Sauka Community, along the Airport road, where discovered to be at risk of contracting lung infection and brain damage as a result of some damaged solar

batteries located within the school premises

A visit to the school by the investigation team

on Monday revealed that the nearly 50 panels were installed in the school due to the absence of electricity in the community.

The school was built in 2019 by the Office of the

Senior Special Assistant to the President on

Sustainable Development Goals OSSAP-SDGs

Abuja.

EHCON Deputy Registrar, Dr Andy Ukah

confirmed that the emission would likely

trigger health risks in the school and the

entire community if unchecked.

Dr. Andy Ukah confirmed that the investigation was directed by the Minister of Environment, Barr. Muhammad Abdullahi upon receiving information on environmental pollution in the area.

He explained that the incident occurred on Thursday March 9, 2023, when the batteries were seen emitting smoke and gaseous substance while the school was in session.

Ukah, who is also the National Coordinator, National Institute of Environmental Health, described the incidence as a public health emergency that required urgent attention.

The Director of Junior Secondary Schools, FCT

Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Hajiya Rahmatu Nusa, linked the emission to continuous charging of the batteries without discharging energy.

She noted that as soon as the incident

occurred on Thursday, that the batteries were turned off to avoid damages in the school.

Furthermore, the Air Quality Monitoring Consultant, EHCON, Dr Fatima Mohammed stated that a good Samaritan reported the incident on Friday, March 10th, 2023, enabled the EHCON to immediately swing into action and discovered that the entire surrounding was filled with rotten smell.

Dr. Fatima explained that given her knowledge of air quality assurance, it was clearly suspected that the batteries were emitting hydrogen sulphur dioxide, adding that it would take up to 48 days to clear from the environment.

She, however, lamernted that the facility is not safe for the storage of solar batteries, saying that an air conditioner is supposed to be installed in the solar batteries' store including two windows to pave the

way for adequate cross ventilation.

The Environmental Health Officer maintained

that if the swollen batteries should bust, it

could trigger fire outbreak in the school, while also 

lamenting that the batteries released harmful

and colourless gaseous substance that has odour, suspected to be hydrogen sulphide.

She noted that the gaseous substance are

irritants capable of irritating the skin, eyes,

nose and throat, saying that constant

exposure could affect the lungs and cause

brain damage.

A solar panel expert, Engr Kingsley Nwigwe of the 

W. Wireless Mechatronics Abuja, said that

some of the batteries were swollen, which led to the emission. He suggested a routine check on the facility every three months, as the battery emitted some gaseous elements that are harmful to human health.

"It has a controller that regulates the charging

system but in as much as the battery is

unused, it replaces the energy being used. But in a scenario like after school period, the system will be charging and when there is a controller that controls the charging system, it Will never overcharge even when its not in

use.

"But if some batteries are bad, it keeps receiving energy even when they never get filled up. Some will get swollen if they are over charged, " he added.

The Principal of the school, Adamu Danlami

said that he was on official duty outside the

school when the incident happened, noting

that he immediately directed that thhe

batteries should be switch off.

As at the time of filing this report further investigations including air quality index and particulate analysis is ongoing. We shall keep you updated as the news unfolds.