The Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the construction of public sanitation and hygiene facilities to tackle the menace of open defecation and promote public health across selected local government areas.
This follows growing concerns over the health and environmental risks posed by open defecation, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas lacking access to basic sanitation infrastructure.
According to the government, through these toilet facilities, the state aims to achieve a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for residents of Akwa Ibom State.
The decision was reached at the State Executive Council meeting held yesterday and presided over by Governor Umo Eno at the Government House, Uyo.
The construction of the facilities will begin in four pilot local government areas: Obot Akara, Ikono, Esit Eket, and Nsit Ubium and will be sited in public spaces and institutions.
The facilities, which will include gender-separated public toilets, handwashing stations, and water supply systems, are part of the State Government’s commitment to achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in line with national and global sanitation goals.
This pilot phase, as stated by the government, will serve as a model for a phased rollout across the 31 local government areas of the state.
Speaking at the meeting, Eno reiterated his administration’s resolve to improve the living standards of Akwa Ibom residents through functional infrastructure and people-centered policies.
According to him, the move also aligns with his administration’s ARISE Agenda, which emphasizes health, infrastructure, and rural development.
He added that with the facilities, his government would be preventing the spread of human waste and outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea, and other diseases that could affect community health and the well-being of citizens.
The sanitation project comes alongside other major resolutions by the Council, including the adoption of a Treasury Single Account (TSA) for improved revenue management, approval of Phase III of the Free Food Distribution Programme, and rehabilitation of sports facilities ahead of the upcoming Akwa Ibom Sports Festival.
The sanitation facilities, through which the state aims to achieve a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for residents, are expected to be completed before the end of the year.
