LASG Committed to Clean and Safe Public Toilets

Lagos State Government has trained and rallied Public Toilet Operators on new sanitation techniques and operations.

The training workshop, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja, aimed to equip operators with the skills and knowledge required to excel in their roles and provide efficient service delivery.

Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, reiterated the government’s commitment to reducing vulnerability to disease outbreaks and promoting social security across the metropolis.

He emphasized the crucial role of janitors and public toilet operators in achieving this goal and the need to build capacity to meet the challenges of service delivery.

The training focused on best practices in toilet management, with an emphasis on eradicating Open Defecation in line with the Federal Government’s target of achieving Open Defecation-free Nigeria by 2025.

The State Government has adopted the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” Campaign, launched in 2021, and has taken it to the grassroots, launching it in 11 Local Government Areas across the State.

Akodu stressed that the Government is determined to deal decisively with anyone engaging in Open Defecation, in accordance with the extant laws of the State.

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He noted that the Government has recruited officers to man different areas, especially the Berger area, to prevent degeneration.

Enforcers have started arresting people who defecate on the median along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway (Lagos Axis) and will be prosecuted accordingly.

The Government has developed a four-cardinal point roadmap to address Open Defecation, which includes Advocacy, Regularization and standardization, Bridging the gap, and Monitoring, as well as Evaluation and Enforcement.

The training workshop comes under Regularisation and standardisation, and the Ministry has rolled out a comprehensive operational guideline to guide the operation of public toilets in the State.

Akodu informed participants that the present administration has decided to construct 100 Units of Public toilets across strategic locations in the State to bridge the infrastructural gap.

He emphasized that the ongoing training workshop and capacity building are to equip operators with the skills and knowledge required to excel in their roles for a sustainable environment and to ensure access to clean and welcoming toilets, thereby encouraging positive behavioral change.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Tajudeen Gaji noted that the Government is committed and would continue to ensure good working conditions for toilet operators and janitors.

The Permanent Secretary who spoke through the Director of Sanitation Services, Dr. Hassan Sanuth, added that the workshop topics focused on Promoting Clean, Safe and hygienic toilet facilities – the role of Government and proper hygiene practices and Sanitation techniques for public operators and janitors.

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