By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
It has been discovered that a total of 2.4 billion people globally are without access to sewers while 2.6 billion require faecal sludge management (FSM) services just as 1.9 billion lack any services at all.
The assertion was made by the Director General of Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA), Dr Mohammed Mahmoud Bose in a presentation titled: ‘Faecal Sludge Management Practices, Challenges and Opportunities’ presented at the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day held in Bauchi.
He stated that FSM challenges include the fact that most Programmes focus (ed) on increasing access to sanitation facilities by investing in onsite sanitation systems.
He added that the management of onsite sanitation remains neglected component of urban (and rural) sanitation resulting in Onsite sanitation facilities becoming major sources of ground water and surface water pollution, with significant environmental, public health and economic impacts.
Another FSM Challenge according to him is that as it is globally, over 2.6 billion people are served by (onsite) sanitation methods that need faecal sludge management.
According to him, “If current trend persist by 2030, FSM may be required by some 4.9 billion people. Estimated volume of faecal sludge comes to some 245 billion litres per year with a market potentials of $2.3 billion per year.”
On efforts being made in Bauchi state to check the trend, the BASEPA DG stressed that there is Inter sectoral collaboration between MDAs and CSO in the WASH sector as well as development of operational procedures.
Other efforts made so far included formalization of manual and mechanized pit emptiers, capacity building to pit emptiers and toilet business operators (TBOS), increase access to sanitation Revolving fund through MFI and sakeholders engagement for Religious and Traditional leaders.
There was also approval and releases for the overhauling of Septic Trucks, budgetary provision for the procurement of additional septic trucks and construction of User friendly CR Reference Model Toilet by WaterAid
Furthermore, there was strengthening of community inspectors, budgetary provision for FSM treatment plant, partnership for training of pit emtiers on waste to wealth (Briquette formation and organic manure) and public private partnership on waste to wealth programme.
There was also partnership with Bauchi State RUWASSA, while BASEPA got support from UNICEF Nigeria in the training of 30 traditis by UNICEF-Lixil collaboration to bring to standard and equip empiters/esacuators in the State for a management of Faecal Sludge Service Chain
Mahmud Bose assured that more Sanitary Inspectors will be recruited and posted across the state to ensure that the environment was kept clean and habitable.
The 2024 World Toilet Day celebration has as theme: Toilet – A peace place.