Metro

Open defecation : How we eat, drink our faeces without knowing

Published

1 year ago

August 15, 2019

Daily Hint News

Open Defecation: ’How we eat, drink our faeces’ without knowing

By Nkiru ogodumbe

The health implication of open education is dreadful and has continued to pose danger to the lives of millions of helpless citizens not only in Nigeria but also in most parts of African continent due to lack of potable water, poor basic toilets facilities and poor sanitation.

In this report, Nkiru ogodumbe examines the attitude of some Nigerians who in most cases defecate in open spaces and streams that serves as their sources of drinking water without recourse to the environmental and health consequences.

The practice of open defecation is a global development and health issue facing developing nations. It is an ancient practice where people excrete in bushes, rivers, lakes, streams and other open spaces outside the designated toilets.

This can occur deliberately due to unwholesome cultural practices, superstitions, and personal unhygienic behaviours. It could also be as a result of unavailable or lack of access to modern toilet facilities.

While some communities go through this practice due to lack of basic social amenities, some rural communities tie this practice to their culture and tradition, hence making it a big challenge to overcome.

The United Nations had in 2010 declared access to safe drinking water and sanitation, a basic human right but this is not yet enforced in Nigeria.

For example, Pika like many other communities in Nigeria, practising open defecation is a community in Benue state ravaged by poverty and all forms of environmental and economic retardation.

It is a community where the practice of open defecation is view as a normal practice. Located about a few miles away from Makurdi, Mbatiav, Gboko local government area, life for the people of Pika is apparently pathetic.

Like many other disadvantaged communities in Benue State where the presence of government is not felt in any way, the people have for many years relied on well and the stream water for their subsistence life.

The women in the communities have to struggle daily walking long distances to the stream to fetch water for drinking, cooking and other household use.

Most importantly, lack of potable water has posed many health challenges to the people in rural areas in the state, as children and even adults have contracted water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid fever among others due to the common practice of open defecation.

The people of the community depend on the local stream as their only source of water, filling an all-purpose gap, from bathing, laundry, cooking and drinking – without any form of purification.

On average, women and young children in Pika community have to visit the stream six to seven times daily. Sadly, the residential area is quite distant to the stream.

Left with no alternative, day and night, people have to pass through bush paths to scoop the oily, dirty, coloured and smelling water from the stream to meet their basic domestic needs.

Speaking with the Daily Hint a Roman Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Dennis Ortese Yiyeh CSSp, who also resides in the community, said that water poverty has posed a threat to the people of the community leaving them with no other alternative but to defecate in the open.

“The children have to wake very early and trek down to the river every day. In a few cases, some children get injured in the process. It is important to fetch this water before going to school because their parents depend on them.

‘’On average, women and young children have to visit the stream six-seven times daily. The water from the river smells sometimes because the common practice here is open defecation and when it misted; the water washes the faeces back to the stream that serves the community.

‘’Sadly, that is how we eat and drink our faeces. Some of us are aware of the health implications of this but since there is no other alternative, we use the water like that.

Metro

Gunmen Suspected to be Kidnappers Abduct Community leader in Yobe

Published

2 months ago

August 16, 2020

Daily Hint News

Gunmen Suspected to Be Kidnappers Abduct Community Leader In Yobe.

By Umar Aina Damaturu

The incident happened in Mashio village of Fune Local Government.

Sources have confirmed that the community leader was forcefully dragged away in to the surrounding bush.

Residence in the village have raised concerns and fear as to whether the abductors are Boko Haram sects or Kidnappers.

Families of the victim have confirmed the development but security agencies have not confirmed whether the abductors are Boko Haram insurgents or not.

Metro

Yobe; Damagum Youths Making Sanitation Looks Easy

Published

3 months ago

July 28, 2020

Daily Hint News

Yobe: Damagum Youths Making Sanitation Looks Easy

By Umar Aina – Damaturu

Damagum youths under the leadership of FUNE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND PROACTIVE ASSOCIATION continued with their unrelenting community works across Damagum.

The youths who have previously carried out some extraordinary and exemplary works have expanded their work across all community development related activities.

This time, the youths opened and sanitized an estimated 200 meters of drainage lines.

The event have witnessed the participation and presence of top Local Government officials from LGA DPM to Chairman Committee on Environmental and Sanitation.

The Chairman of the Association, Nasiru Usman depresses his delight while thanking the participants saying; “Words can’t describe my joys and delightfulness for this unprecedented job we are doing, I thank everybody for your hard work and commitment towards making our LGA great, thank you”.

Chairman LGA Environmental and Sanitation Committee, Sani Usman Awu in his speech; “I’m happy with you guys for this development which is rare and I want extend my profound gratitude to the participants, I also call on you to be committed in this historic development”

The Association will soon extend it’s activities to other parts of the local government area according to it’s Publicity Secretary.on

Metro

Adamawa; Communal Clashes; Between the Deputy Gov and the Lunguda, Where lies the Media Misfit, Mischief ?

Published

3 months ago

July 17, 2020

Daily Hint News

ADAMAWA: Communal Clashes: Between The Deputy Gov and the Lunguda, where lies the media misfit, mischief?

* Crowther Seth who sues for peace says he will sue the media for for libel before the law

* In the Name of Peace, leave Chief Crowther Seth Alone – Deputy Gov media handler

* In the Name of Peace, don’t insult the media as being misfit or mischief, simply go to court for the alleged libel – The publishers, media managers

The Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Crowther Seth has said that he would sue the media for libel.

In a rather undiplomatic and insulting piece, seemed to be articulated by Mr. Seth’s media handlers and shared by the DG Communications to Adamawa State Governor Thursday, Mr. Seth technically denied that the Lunguda people who are reduced to refugees in their own community, have boo booed in the protest demanding for his removal as Deputy Governor for allegedly siding with a hidden villain, said to be the mastermind of wanton destruction of lives and property, resulting to the displacement of people as was reported by the media.

“Is this how bastardised a profession we now have on our hands?

“Is there no price for reporting what defames, embarrasses, lies against and discolours the truth?

“These media hack-writers must know and be prepared to pay the price for their unprofessional and unethical conduct and reporting.

“It is nauseatingly baffling that some of these media organisations that pride themselves as defenders of human rights bother less about hearing and weighing Deputy Governor Crowther Seth before going to town with their hastily cobbled pastiche of so-called news reports…just because their sole purpose was to satisfy the wishes of their paymasters.

“Well, the Office the Deputy Governor has assured that it shall sue.

“It is about time media houses learn some responsible journalistic ethics, even if they have to be taught by a few cases in court,” the piece read in part.

The Media managers in defence of their reporters, wondered what is unprofessional, taking the human angle, reporting the agitation of the aggrieved as it is?

“As for the media organisations who embarked on this campaign of calumny against the deputy governor, where is their honour as purported members of the Fourth Estate?” The piece in sympathy to Crowther Seth asked.

Campaign of calumny! didn’t it happen? Is it the media that has simply reported on the scene that should be challenged for libel or the aggrieved in protest?

Why didn’t the deputy governor who was right there, denied the allegation against him before the governor, in the name of peace?

In the name of peace, the media merely reported that “the Lunguda people of Guyuk local government area, southern senatorial district of Adamawa state, northeast Nigeria Monday, demanded the immediate removal of the deputy governor of the state, Mr. Crowther Seth over alleged alliance and clandestine romance with the suspected criminal and mastermind of recent attacks on Dumna-Boshikiri axis, Alh Halilu popularly known as Sarki Yaki (SY) of lafiya lamurde.

“The collective call by the Lunguda community came when the governor and his deputy visited to restore peace in the area.

The Governor was received by protesting against Crowther, crowd carrying placards with inscription: “Arrest Halilu (SY), he is the cause of the problem’’ ‘’Deputy Governor harbouring Halilu SY,’’ ‘’we support Governor Fintiri but Deputy Governor is complicating issues,’’ ‘’deputy Governor harbouring war monger halilu (SY)’’ the report read in part.

Now hear the introductory part of the piece on “In the Name of Peace leave Chief Crowther Seth Alone.”

“I read with great sadness the unprofessional and malicious reports in the media attempting, in vain, to link the deputy governor of Adamawa State, Chief Crowther Seth, to the unfortunate crisis that recently broke out between the Lunguda and Waja communities in Dumna District, Guyuk local government area of the state.

“Having digested the trash I read, I decided to refrain from replying and let things be but here I am responding to the feeble antics of desperate politicians who are envious of the superlative track record of the Ahmadu Umar Fintiri-led administration in the state.

“However, seeing that the architects of this defamatory campaign are bent on poisoning the minds of the good people of Guyuk local government area and the general public, it has become necessary to put the records straight.”

Put the record straight? What record and why was it not put straight before the aggrieved in protest when the governor paid an arbitration visit on Monday?

What’s the offence of the media? Is it simply for reporting?

How we wish that media would be represented in the administrative panel, whose outcome it is hoped, would put the record straight while wait to be invited before the law for alleged media libel against the deputy governor as he threatens to file.

NEON