The National Association of Professional Artisans and Plumbers, Kwara Chapter, has advised residents to inculcate habit of building toilets as open defecation is still prevalence.
Mr Joseph Akintayo, the President of the association, told newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin that despite this modern civilisation, there are people who still build their houses without toilets.
Akintsyo fielded questions on this year’s World Plumbing Day.
The day is an international event, initiated by the World Plumbing Council, held on 11 March each year, to recognise the important role plumbing plays in societal health and amenity.
He said that in some parts of Ilorin metropolis, people still operate the “shot put” method of throwing defecation or going to the bush to defecate.
“You cannot have good health and environment without toilet facilities, because they go hand in hand,.
“The people must inculcate the culture of building toilets when they build their houses,” he said.
Akintayo observe that building toilet is more hygienic and safer, saying that people who make use of the bush to defecate can be bitten by snakes and scorpions.
He urged the state government to appreciate the importance of World Plumbing Day, adding that these are opportunities the government can use to enlighten people on importance of healthy sanitary practices through use of toilets.
“A day like this should be memorable, where the government can partner with us (plumbers) so as to carry out rallies across the state and enlighten people against open defecation.
“The association has been doing its own Corporate Social Responsibilty through repairs of broken pipes across Ilorin,” he said.
On the toll of COVID-19 on members, Akintayo said 2020 was a difficult year for the members of the association as they could not find work due to the pandemic lockdown.
He therefore appealed to the government to help their members, adding that more toilet infrastructure is needed for which they can partner with the government.
Also speaking with newsmen on the Plumbing day, Mallam Rasheed Ajakaiye, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, explained that the State Government acknowledge the importance of World Plumbing Day as it’s synonymous to good hygiene practice.
He noted that the state is serious in the area of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), as it had invested huge amount on water.
He recalled that the state government had engaged the association on construction of boreholes and mending of pipes across the metropolis.
Ajakaiye added that the enlightenment to the citizens on the dangers of open defecation has not stopped, and that the government will continue to partner the association on the issue of water and sanitation.
“We advise people against open defecation and urge them to embrace good sanitary practices and defecate in a healthy way,” he said.