By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has reiterated the commitment of House to work with all stakeholders to bring to an end Open Defecation and ensure a healthy living environment for Nigerians.
Speaker Abbas stated this at the opening of a Public Hearing orgaised by the House Joint Committees on Environment, Water Resources, Ecologically Fund, Works and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, the House recognises the devastating impact of erosion and other environmental factors on the lives of the citizens.
The Speaker therefore urged all relevant agencies to step up efforts to achieve the goal of ending the menace by 2025.
The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, in his address decried Nigeria’s current state in the agenda of ending Open Defecation nationwide, especially as the country is lagging behind.
The Minister also advocated for the provision of more funding in other to ensure effective implementation of policies to end Open Defecation in the country.
Mr. Salako urged governments at all levels to empower environmental health officials to carry out their regulatory responsibilities.
He noted that Nigeria can scale up activities by empowering security agencies working in the area of ending Open Defecation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Joint Committees, Rep. Pondi Gbabojor emphasized on the need for government and all relevant agencies to intervene and take deliberate actions to mitigate the living conditions of their constituents.
He urged the Government at all levels and private individuals to embark on aggressive rural water projects that will ensure that each community is provided with portable water and functioning toilet facilities.
He also said that the public hearing was convened, with the hope of creating a platform for stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and propose actionable recommendations to address these pressing issues.
He said: “It is an opportunity for us to harness collective wisdom, expertise, and resources towards finding lasting solutions that will positively impact the lives of millions of Nigerians.
We hereby call on the Government and its Agencies at all levels, especially those whose statutory duties borders on: conservation of our environment; provision of succor to victims of disasters; environmental remediation; and infrastructure providers to intervene and take deliberate action to mitigate the living conditions of our constituents. As representatives of the people, it is our duty to call on the Authorities of the State to address these challenges comprehensively, and ensure the implementation of sustainable solutions that prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens”.
The Public Hearing of the Committees on Environment, Water Resources, Ecological Fund, Works and Emergency & Disaster Preparedness also was focused on the “Need to End Open Defecation; Erosion in Alur-uno Community in Enugu State; and Erosion in Aguata Community in Anambra State’.
Stakeholders who attended the hearing proffered solutions on how to curb environmental challenges affecting Nigeria.