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| L-R: Mr. Rahul Murgai, Managing Director, RB West Africa; Dr. Babatunde Adejare, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment; Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Environment, and Aliza Leferink, Marketing Director, RB West Africa, during 2017 World Toilet Day ceremony sponsored by RB in Lagos. |
By Chioma Umeha
Following growing incidence of water-borne
diseases, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio, leading toilet cleaning brand,
Harpic took a sensitisation programme on the treatment and proper disposal of
sewage or wastewater to Ojodu Berger, a Lagos suburb to mark this year’s World
Toilet Day (WTD).
Due to lack of safe water, poor sanitation and
hygiene, 842,000 people die yearly, some experts said during the sensitisation programme.
According to them, 1.8 billion people use source
of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting
cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.
The event was organised by Harpic, one of the
country’s leading toilet cleaning brand from Reckitt Benckiser in health,
hygiene and home care products in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of
Environment to mark this year’s WTD.
The experts said that wastewater is roughly
composed of 99 per cent water and
one per cent suspended, colloidal and dissolved solids.
According to the statistics by World Health
Organisation (WHO), today, 4.5 billion people live without a household toilet
that safely disposes of their waste.
The United Nations health body also said that approximately 315,000 children dies
every year through poor sanitation and unsafe water caused by Diarrhoea.
“In addition, a large number of women and children
in Nigeria are exposed to the risk of contracting infections due to lack of
access to sanitation which impacts on health, dignity, and safety,” it added.
At the sensitisation exercise, Dr. Samuel
Babatunde Adejare, the Representative of the Lagos State Governor and
Commissioner for the Environment, commissioned the renovated public toilets at
Ojodu Berger to the joy of community members, travellers and artisans.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, RB
West Africa, Mr. Rahul Murgai, emphasised the commitment of Harpic towards the
World Toilet Day.
“Harpic, one of RB’s power brands has consistently
advocated the importance of having access to clean toilets and that waste
water, poor sanitation and issues like open defecation can create potential
health problems, especially among women and children who are highly susceptible
to infections and diarrhoea” he stated.
“Today is World Toilet Day with the theme
wastewater and globally, over 80 per cent of all the wastewater from our homes,
cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or
reused – polluting the environment, and losing valuable nutrients and other
recoverable materials.
“Due to population growth, accelerated
urbanisation and economic development, the quantity of wastewater generated and
its overall pollution effects are increasing globally,” Adejare said.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Abiodun Bamgboye,
the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, stated; “We educate
sewage management authorities on proper disposal and recycling of wastewater as
wastewater management is being seriously neglected, and grossly undervalued as
a potentially affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and
other recoverable materials.
“It therefore needs to be seen as a resource,
rather than a burden to be disposed of. There are many treatment processes and
operational systems that will allow us to use wastewater to meet the growing
water demand in growing cities, support sustainable agriculture, and enhance
energy production and industrial development, therefore contributing to a more
sustainable, efficient and equitable water use worldwide.
“Today, Harpic, our regular partner is joining
force with us in providing public awareness to the community. The ministry of
environment welcomes such corporate support and will like other brands to
emulate this as we celebrate the World Toilet Day.”
Mrs. Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola, the Regional
Marketing Manager, RB West Africa also spoke on the opportunities to address
potential health issues arising from poor sanitation. The adequate attention to
solid waste, waste water and also industrial accumulated waste management can
help avoid the chain of infection.
Over the years, Harpic has been providing
awareness and education to Nigerians on the importance of better hygiene practices
and improved health through prevention of open defecation.
This year’s World Toilet Day with the theme “Waste
Water” focused on the link between sanitation and proper disposal of wastewater
to draw global attention to the importance of sanitation as a job opportunity.
The goal is to reduce open defecation and promote
better hygiene practices in the prevention of diseases such as Diarrhoea and
toilet infections, especially in women and children.
