Bauchi adopts user-centered public toilet designs to achieve ODF status, improve environmental hygiene 

Group photograph of stakeholders at the adoption meeting 

By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has  adopted a user centered public toilet design which was considered as most user friendly for all gender and people with disabilities. 

The adoption took place on Thursday during a workshop  organised for the adoption of a user centered public toilet facilities for Bauchi state organised by the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency BASEPA, in collaboration with WaterAid Nigeria  with attendance by different MDAs, CSOs and Faith Based Organisations.

Welcoming the Participants, the Commissioner, Ministry of Housing and Environment, Rt Hon Danlami Ahmed Kawule, represented by the Director General of the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency BASEPA Dr Ibrahim Kabir appreciated WaterAid Nigeria for the initiative saying that the journey to the realisation of the initiative was the result of assiduous efforts and commitments of all the relevant stakeholders.

Danlami Kawule also informed the gathering that  Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is in the full picture of the initiative from the onset and  highly impressed with the commitments of the stakeholders. 

He also said that the adoption of the user centered public toilet designs was on behalf of the State, calling on the general public to continue supporting such initiatives which target to protect and promote the health of the  general public and commend the participating MDAs, CSOs, FBOs and CBOs, for their efforts and contributions throughout the journey.

On his own, Dr Ibrahim Kabir added that, BASEPA as the Agency regulating the activities of public toilets in the State will ensure strict adherence to the agreed prototype of the user friendly toilets designs for the promotion and protection of the health of the general public.

Making an overview of the initiative, the programme Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting Officer, WaterAid Nigeria, Mashat Mallo said that the journey was started about three years ago with BASEPA and later involved other relevant stakeholders with the view to come up with a standard design and user friendly toilets.

Mashat Mallo further informed the gathering that the initiative is a sponsored project from Australia  aimed at providing user friendly toilets in public such as schools, market and Motor parks, with specific consideration on women and people with disabilities, assuring BASEPA and other stakeholders that his organisation is ready to continue partnering with Bauchi State Government in the areas of promotion and protection of public health.

Signing of the documents

In a goodwill message, Danjikan Bauchi and the District Head of Miri, Mallam Hussaini Abubakar Othman said that he was overwhelmed by the efforts put together by all the relevant stakeholders and calls for a capacity building to public toilet operators and the provision of a suitable dumping sites of the faecal sludge in the state.

Comrade Jinjiri J Garba Chairman of Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organisations and Ibrahim Kabo Umar (Bidu) Chairman of Toilet Business Owners, Bauchi State all appreciated BASEPA and WaterAid Nigeria for carrying them along throughout the journey and pledged to continue partnering and participating in every meaningful initiative for the development of the State.

The Executive Director, Women with Disability Development Initiative and Chairman Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities Bauchi State Chapter, Asma’u Yahaya also appreciated the partnering organisations for carrying them along from inception to-date. 

She said that the adoption of the user friendly toilets ceremony marked  a significant milestone of inclusivity of the people with disabilities not only in Bauchi state but in Nigeria and commended BASEPA and WaterAid for making the initiative a reality.

In his closing remarks, the Director Inspection, Enforcement and Compliance BASEPA Sanitarian Mohammed Usman Sale appreciate all the participants for gracing the adoption exercise and commend WaterAid for the initiative, calling on public toilet operators, schools and  the general public to adopt the designs to achieve the target objectives.

Other participants who spoke during the interaction all commend BASEPA and WaterAid for the job well done, pledged to ensure success of the initiative.

The highlight of the occasion was the signing of a communique which stated that , the new toilet designs are now officially adopted for all public places in the state and recognised the need to review and update checklist for issuance of license, operation permit, inspection and approval of all public toilets by the Bauchi state Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) and the Bauchi State Physical planning and development control to reflect the new designs and the public toilet operators in the state wishes to construct new toilet will obtain any of the new designs of their choice among others.