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Pit toilet site in Duhuwur Fulani community in Madangala ward- Katagum LGA
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Bauchi State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) has scored Katagum LGA of the State low at the just concluded weeklong certification exercise conducted as prerequisite for the council to attain open defecating assessment of the group.
Briefing the Council’s special WASH committee on the outcome of the exercise, the STGS chairperson, Hajiya Halima Mohammed expressed shock that the LG scored 64% in open defecation.
She described the outcome of the result as appalling considering that Katagum LGA as the second prominent council in size and population in the state, noting that many households have failed to construct toilets despite previous efforts to educate them on the danger of open defecation.
While acknowledging the incidence of toilet collapse due to heavy downpour this year, Hajiya Halima Mohammed bemoaned Katagum local council for not doing enough to support the WASH special committee on sanitation to carry out its mandate to sensitize the public on the health hazards associated with open defecation and failure to construct improved toilets.
She urged the council yo ensure proper funding of the WASH unit and reorganize the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committees (WASHCOM) at ward levels by allowing only people with passion for WASH to enlist as members.
Responding, WASH Coordinator for Katagum LGA, Malam Saidu Mohammed Alkali blamed previous leadership of the council for its unimpressive performance in the current rating exercise but expressed optimism that the new council will address the situation considering its concern over the matter.
According to him, “We have a bylaw already in place against open defecation but enforcement is our major problem and the special committee cannot function effectively without financial and logistic support to carry out its mandate.
” However, with the result of the just concluded exercise, the council would re-strategize to ensure that Katagum LG attains open defecation free status soon”, Saidu Alkali explained.
Earlier, representatives of the CSOs and government agencies, Nelson Kawe of FAHIMTA and Hajiya Asamau Zuni of the primary healthcare agency called for increased awareness on attitudinal change by encouraging households to construct toilets and avoid open defecation, to check the spread of water-borne diseases.
