Residents of the Mile 12 area in Lagos State are lamenting the activities of public toilet operators who they alleged are discharging faeces into the Maidan River located in the area. PUNCH HealthWise investigates this threat to public health. ANGELA ONWUZOO reports
According to him, the operators of the public toilets have for years been disposing of human faeces into the river unchallenged despite the environmental and health hazards of their actions.PUNCH HealthWise “Those of us living on Agiliti road, Maidan road, Oniyanrin street, and Oremerin street are the worst hit.
Continuing, he said, “We usually buy water from Meruwa and we can’t guarantee the cleanliness of that water. And also, people just dump refuse anyhow in this area. You can see how dirty the environment is. In 2010, the United Nations recognised the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as human rights, noting that they are essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.Our correspondent also observed that the sewage pipes are all connected to the Maidan river while faeces from the wooden toilets built on top of the river flow directly into the river.observed that the river is also used for refuse disposal.
The global health body noted that microbial contamination of drinking water as a result of contamination with faeces poses the greatest risk to drinking water safety.According to the WHO, contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio.
“It is very likely that the river is heavily polluted and there will be outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases and other diseases in that area. “What is still keeping us here is money. My husband has vowed that we must move out of this place next year. Sometimes, you see the faeces floating on the water. The sight alone is disgusting.”
According to the World Bank, in low-income countries, over 90 per cent of waste is often disposed of in unregulated dumps or openly burned.“Poorly managed waste serves as a breeding ground for disease vectors, contributes to global climate change through methane generation, and can even promote urban violence,” it noted.
A Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Lagos, Dr Chimere Agomo, said it would be risky to use the water from the Maidan river for anything because it is highly polluted.
Corruption, Godfatherism and a system of entitlement can neither bequeath meaning development nor people centered infrastructural growth in Lagos. They need honest long term investment to make a dent. Lagos state has a poor income to social investment ratio because of waste...
Jagaban build Lagos in the mud😪
Not even a Benue will one find this. Anyways Tinubu built Lagos
The Dubai of Africa built, managed and 'owned' by Tinubu. 🤠🤠
Lagos state it's the most dirtiest place in Nigeria 💯 take it or leave it because I know some stupid people will like to come here to defend nonsense 😡
Tinubu build Lagos 😜
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