Kaduna (Nigeria): Chikun Local Government Council, in Kaduna State, has intensified efforts to end open defecation and indiscriminate refuse dumping to reduce the risk of flooding during the rainy season.
Mrs Ruth Obed-Marcus, Director, Education and Social Development (ESD) of the council, told journalists on Friday in Kaduna that the campaign was in line with the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency‘s (RUWASSA) standard for communities to be open defecation-free.
She said the council had set up a sanitation committee, co-opted community leaders and volunteers, and provided stipends for those taking part in the clean-up exercise.
“Before the work began, we carried out sensitisation in Churches and Mosques through CAN and JNI platforms. We also engaged village heads and other stakeholders to ensure compliance,” she said.
Obed-Marcus said mobile courts were initially used to enforce compliance, but the chairman later advised the use of persuasion to avoid fines and humiliation of residents.
She recalled an incident where a woman attacked a sanitation worker, breaking his phone.
“She was briefly held and later released after being made to replace the phone,” she said.
According to her, some residents in Sabon Tasha also resisted compliance until police officers were deployed.
“When they saw the police, they cleaned up their surroundings and promised to sustain the effort,” she added.
The director noted that all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the area provide support to the sanitation teams whenever resistance arises, adding that the measures had started yielding results.
“We have noticed significant improvement this year. Areas that used to experience heavy flooding recorded only minor flash floods this September,” she said.
Obed-Marcus reaffirmed the council’s commitment to sustain the campaign “until Chikun is certified open defecation-free by RUWASS”.