Bwari (Abuja): Despite years of public health campaigns, open defecation remains a stubborn challenge in the Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
A recent needs assessment by the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) unit reveals that 18% of the 84 communities surveyed still lack access to basic toilet facilities—posing serious health risks and undermining sanitation efforts.
Mr William Kolo, Coordinator of the WASH unit, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while reviewing action points at the 2025 WASH Coordination Forum, organised in collaboration with WaterAid Nigeria.
He said the findings followed a needs assessment carried out in 84 of the council’s 256 communities to identify critical gaps.
“Our findings show that 18 per cent of the 84 communities visited still practice open defecation due to a lack of access to toilet facilities.
“Additionally, poor hygiene practices persist due to inadequate water access, highlighting the need for borehole construction in some of these communities,” he said.
Kolo noted that access to water and toilet facilities in schools, markets and public places in Bwari township remained a significant challenge requiring urgent intervention.
“There is a need for more sensitisation on behavioural change regarding sanitation and hygiene among the people.
“The council should address the lack of functional water facilities in schools and reactivate existing but non-functional ones,” he said.
He explained that the forum recommended reintroducing monthly environmental sanitation with penalties for defaulters, as well as introducing WASH-related activities in schools to raise awareness among children from an early age.
“Part of our action plan is to supply water to motor parks, markets and other public places, aiming to improve public hygiene.
“We will also collaborate with FCT RUWASSA to engage contractors already assigned to construct toilet facilities in the area,” Kolo said.
According to him, market sanitation has already been introduced in Bwari town, with exercises held from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
He added that sanitation officers were on the ground to ensure compliance and evacuation of waste to designated dumpsites.
Kolo also stated that inadequate funding remained a significant challenge, but explained that a comprehensive WASH budget allocation was being developed across the council’s departments, including Health, Environment, Education, Agriculture, and Finance, to support implementation.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Bwari Area Council, Mr John Gabaya, was represented by Mr Musa Isa, Head of Administration, who commended the WASH unit for its efforts.
“We appreciate the work of the WASH team and assure that necessary steps will be taken, including incorporating WASH allocations into the 2026 budget for effective implementation of recommendations,” Isa said.
