World Toilet Day: 52% of Nigerian schools lack decent toilets – NGO

WaterAid Nigeria, an NGO, says 52 per cent of schools in Nigeria lack decent toilet facilities.

The NGO made the assertion in its fourth annual analysis of world’s toilets titled “’The Crisis in the Classroom’’.

It noted that with the figure, children were dangerously exposed to illnesses that could kill them.

The NGO said that sanitation related illnesses such as diarrhoea usually resulted in school children being malnourished as well as missing school sessions.

Commenting the report, Dr Chichi Okoye, WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, said provision of decent toilet facilities in schools across the states of the federation could massively enhance children school attendance and participation.

“Toilets can make the difference between a child’s school attendance, coming late or staying at home.

“Schools are where children learn how to become wholesome human beings and good toilet behaviours, yet they are going to school without them.

“It is shocking that Nigeria ranks third in the world with the greatest number of individuals with no access to decent toilets.

“This is unacceptable and more sadly as it contributes to the deaths of nearly 60,000 children under five every year from diarrhoea,” she said.

The country director therefore called on decision makers and citizens to invest in the provision of decent toilets as it would help children not to miss out on their future.

She added that citizens ought to take responsibility of having decent toilets in their homes and not leaving it to government alone.

“Sanitation is a basic right for all and can’t just be an ideal. It must be a priority,” she advised. (NAN)