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

“We are tired of the way public toilet operators in this Maidan area of Mile 12 pollute the environment with human faeces. They channel the sewage pipes of their toilets to a river in the community known as the Maidan River instead of building sewage tanks for them.

“Their activities have been affecting our health for a long time and we cannot keep quiet anymore. Our health is in danger.

“We have many public toilets in this area serving traders at the popular Mile 12 Market but none of them has sewage tanks,” Mr Kelvin Olamide, a resident in the Mile 12 area lamented.

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.

The 43-year-old Ondo indigene who said he has been living in the area for over 17 years, told PUNCH HealthWise that the public toilet operators are not bothered about the health and environmental impact of their activities but are only interested in making money.

Olamide told our correspondent that some of the owners of the public toilets who he said were big traders and leaders at Mile 12 Market went as far as building wooden public toilets on Maidan River because most of the traders at the Mile 12 market patronise them.

The Mile 12 Market, Maidan Road and Agiliti and its environs are located in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Sharing his frustration with PUNCH HealthWise, the father of three lamented that the activities of the public toilet operators were causing public health problems.

“Their practice is beginning to affect our health as many of the people living in this area are always complaining of one health problem or the other, especially typhoid fever.

“Those of us living on Agiliti road, Maidan road, Oniyanrin street, and Oremerin street are the worst hit.

“Last year, we recorded a lot of cholera cases here. This year, I know that a lot has happened but they decided to keep it a secret.

Wooden toilets built on water

“Traders flood this area to use these toilets, especially the wooden toilets built on the river because they are cheaper than the ones built on the land.

“The toilets also serve as bathrooms for some of the traders trying to save cost.

“To use the toilets built on land, you pay N100 to defecate and N50 to urinate. But if you have N20 change with you, they can allow you to urinate.

“However, for the wooden toilets build on top of the river, they charge N50 to defecate and N20 to urinate.

“Most of the men go close to the river to urinate without minding who is looking at them because they don’t want to pay. So, the whole environment is polluted and messy. And we don’t have a good source of water supply here,” he said.

No access to a safe water supply

Olamide noted that their bad situation was compounded by the lack of access to a water supply and poor refuse disposal.

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.

“We want Governor Babagide Sanwo-Olu to help us. Sometimes, some people die here and their relatives will quickly go and bury them, especially children without ascertaining the cause.

“That is even more reason we’re speaking out now. A lot is happening here that requires the government’s attention.”

The term ‘Meruwa’ is Hausa and when translated to English means “water seller”.

Findings by PUNCH HealthWise during a visit to the area by our correspondent revealed that over 15 public toilets located on Maidan Road and Agiliti Road have no sewage tanks.

https://healthwise.punchng.com/lagos-community-where-public-toilet-operators-discharge-faeces-into-river/

Is this not the Lagos urchins keep shouting Tinubu built..awon Omo ale

Yet, experts have stressed that effective sewage treatment is essential for good public health.

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.

Sewage pipes connected to the river

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.

Similarly, PUNCH HealthWise observed that the river is also used for refuse disposal. Residents of the area confirmed that cart pushers come to deposit waste generated from Mile 12 Market into the river, an activity that the residents noted further compounds a bad situation.

Findings by our correspondent further revealed that the Maidan and Agiliti axis of Mile 12 is a haven for indiscriminate refuse disposal, hence it is always filthy.

PUNCH HealthWise learnt that whenever it rains, the area gets flooded and faeces and waste float on water and pollute the environment for the residents.

Our correspondent also gathered that some of the residents who do not have money to buy water from ‘meruwa’ depend on the Maidan river for their water supply while some fruits and vegetable sellers at Mile 12 Market also use water from the river to wash their goods.

The World Health Organisation, says globally, at least two billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with faeces.

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.

Contaminated water linked to cholera, diarrhoea -WHO

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.

Experts say properly disposing of human waste is important to avoid polluting water sources and minimising the chances of spreading disease.

Speaking on the issue, a medical researcher, Dr Dan Onwujekwe, says the kind of pollution ongoing in the Mile 12 area is dangerous, stressing that the area will be witnessing regular outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases and other diseases.

The researcher told PUNCH HealthWise that the area would be heavily polluted with faecal organisms.

Onwujekwe said it was wrong to discard faeces into the river, warning that the practice is a threat to human lives.

“It is very likely that the river is heavily polluted and there will be outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases and other diseases in that area.

“They will be endemic in that area. We need people who will go there regularly and enforce simple public health measures and educate the population and traders.

“Waterborne diseases are so many and so common in the area you just described. It is wrong to channel sewage pipes into the river.

Practice danger to human lives –Experts

“The existence of such practice is a threat to human lives not just to people living and trading there. People who buy things sold in the market there are at risk,” he said.

The researcher said the government should move to make sure that such practice stop.

The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources during the 2022 World Toilet Day in November said the state government had constructed 167 public toilets in selected areas of the state.

It noted that the state had also registered over 635 public toilet operators to prevent open defecation.

Children always down with diarrhoea

Another Maidan resident, Mrs Abigail Afolabi said, “Our children are always down with diarrhoea because of bad environment.

“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.”

Speaking with our correspondent, another resident of the area, Mr Taiwo Azeez, said

, Tinubu lagos

Mrs Rashidat Ali, 36, and mother of two said dumping of refuse inside the river by cart pushers from Mile 12 market makes the environment stink sometimes.

Mr Olademiji Emmanuel and others who spoke with PUNCH HealthWise shared similar experiences while appealing to the Lagos State government to come to their rescue.

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.

These practices, it noted create serious health, safety, and environmental consequences.

“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.

However, none of those managing the public toilets on behalf of their owners agreed to speak to PUNCH HealthWise, insisting that our correspondent should go to Mile 12 market and look for the owners.

The Chairman of Public Toilet Operators of Mile 12 Market simply identified as Alhaji Ado in a telephone interview with our correspondent said, “Yes I am the chairman. But I cannot talk to you unless I see you one on one. You must tell me who gave you my contact.”

Ado declined to disclose his actual location at Mile 12 market when our correspondent requested to come and see him one on one.

Medical experts who spoke with PUNCH HealthWise stressed that the practice of discharging human faeces into the river could lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

Practice can lead to disease outbreaks –Experts

Continuing, Onwujekwe who is a Retired Chief Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, said human faeces should not be discarded into bodies of water.

“They will cause pollution and nobody knows how far the damage of that pollution will reach.

“Every house there must be encouraged to have a sewage tank. They should build their sewage tanks where waste from the public toilets is stored.

“And if they are going to be removed periodically and stored somewhere, then, they must be properly treated so that it doesn’t infect or contaminate bodies of water.”

Recommending the war forward, the researcher said, “It is something government must move fast, they shouldn’t wait until there are massive outbreaks of waterborne diseases.”

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.

Agomo said the residents of the area would be at risk of bacterial and parasitic infections like typhoid and cholera.

He also noted that the residents would be exposed to all manner of waterborne infections as a result of faecal contamination of the water body.

The microbiologist said, “The problem there would be flies. And flies can carry several organisms. When flies perch on the faeces and get into the household and perch on their foods, then they can have bacterial infections.

“They can also have parasitic infections and some of those parasitic infections can cause diarrhoea. They can have typhoid and cholera.”

WHO says each year diarrhoea kills around 525,000 children under five.

“A significant proportion of diarrhoeal disease can be prevented through safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene.

“Diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old. It is both preventable and treatable. Globally, there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrhoeal disease every year,” WHO added.

Also, an expert at the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Dr Femi Akinpeloye, said, “Again, the sources of water supply in the state are not completely potable and when people don’t have good hygiene, there is usually an outbreak of cholera.”

Sewage contains pollutants

The United Nations Environment Programme says better sewage treatment is critical for human health and ecosystems.

“Sewage contains plastic particles, microbial pollutants and traces of medications that can threaten water and food security, and human health.

“The problem is particularly acute in densely populated areas which lack treatment facilities.

“Globally, unclean water poses significant risks of diarrhoea, opportunistic infections and malnutrition, accounting for 1.7 million deaths annually, of which over 90 per cent are in developing countries and almost half are children.

“These deaths are primarily due to ingestion of faecal pathogens from humans or animals,” it noted.

In a 2021 study published in Science Direct titled, ‘Sewage pollution, declining ecosystem health, and cross-sector collaboration’, the researchers said sewage pollution in freshwater ecosystems increases the concentration and transmission of human pathogens and also increases the incidence of heavy metal toxicity in both humans and fish.

“In heavily polluted freshwater areas, sewage discharge leads to dangerously low oxygen levels, as bacteria decompose increasing loads of organic matter, and deplete available oxygen,” they said.

Chairman Mile 12 Market, Shehu Usman, told our correspondent that the public toilet operators have sewage tanks.

“Lagos State government has a task force monitoring public toilets in the state. Nobody will do that. It is not true that they channelled their pipes to the Maidan river. The operators have sewage tanks,” the chairman said.

Efforts were made to speak to the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mr Kunle Adeshina.

He, however, did not answer his calls and did not respond to a text message sent to him by our correspondent at the time of filing this report.


https://healthwise.punchng.com/lagos-community-where-public-toilet-operators-discharge-faeces-into-river/

Come rural areas in bayelsa. Na common thing especially in otuoke.

Afonja love igbę no be small

So sad

We need to beg igbos to come and develop these places
We can see how they developed ikoyi and environ from wasteland to a mega metropolis and bought 98% of the land there

Dem dey carry shit for Tinubu Lagos.

Igbo's haven't entered there. After developing the place, that frog eyed urchin will claim he developed it.


Iragbaji Bandit

Typicool8:
Is this not the Lagos urchins keep shouting Tinubu built..awon Omo ale

The problem of Lagos are those people who came to Lagos with poly bag.

Lagos was not like these during the days of our ancestors.

UrPapa:
We need to beg igbos to come and develop these places
We can see how they developed ikoyi and environ from wasteland to a mega metropolis and bought 98% of the land there

Lol Igbos dominate mile2 axis down to Ojo.



You just shot yourself lol

TinubuDeDrugLor:
Dem dey carry shit for Tinubu Lagos.

Igbo's haven't entered there. After developing the place, that frog eyed urchin will claim he developed it.


Iragbaji Bandit

You don't live around there stop typing rubbish. Those are Igbo dominated axis.
Infact you'll see alot of Igbos from mile2 to festac down to Ojo Alaba.

What is I say you should tell your people around that axis to keep Lagos water clean?

VeryWickedGoat:
Afonja love igbę no be small

Those are Igbo dominated area in Lagos, look at the first pics of the guy pooing, you see he has flat head .

And he's ashamed for his face to be captured so his flat head was captured nicely.

Look at the next one, as you can see those are aboki hustler that see no shame in taking selfie while pooing in public.

Igbos and abokis are the dominant hustlers from mile2 down to alaba market.

Yorubas in mile2 are majorly into transport.

tollyboy5:

You don't live around there stop typing rubbish. Those are Igbo dominated axis.
Infact you'll see alot of Igbos from mile2 to festac down to Ojo Alaba.

What is I say you should tell your people around that axis to keep Lagos water clean?

All shitty and dirty business in lagos is done by yorubas. This mayham is done by them.
If a crime is committed in VI or island, your bigoted mind will also tag igbos.
Normal normal, yoruba dominated environs dey smell wetin no good, food wey dem dey cook sef na eyesore, with babadudus running butt naked with flies singing hallelujah because of shit everywhere.

Lagos, the largest slum on earth. I can't live in Lagos, even on free rent.

ThEGodBRoThEr2:
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

“We are tired of the way public toilet operators in this Maidan area of Mile 12 pollute the environment with human faeces. They channel the sewage pipes of their toilets to a river in the community known as the Maidan River instead of building sewage tanks for them.

“Their activities have been affecting our health for a long time and we cannot keep quiet anymore. Our health is in danger.

“We have many public toilets in this area serving traders at the popular Mile 12 Market but none of them has sewage tanks,” Mr Kelvin Olamide, a resident in the Mile 12 area lamented.

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.

The 43-year-old Ondo indigene who said he has been living in the area for over 17 years, told PUNCH HealthWise that the public toilet operators are not bothered about the health and environmental impact of their activities but are only interested in making money.

Olamide told our correspondent that some of the owners of the public toilets who he said were big traders and leaders at Mile 12 Market went as far as building wooden public toilets on Maidan River because most of the traders at the Mile 12 market patronise them.

The Mile 12 Market, Maidan Road and Agiliti and its environs are located in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Sharing his frustration with PUNCH HealthWise, the father of three lamented that the activities of the public toilet operators were causing public health problems.

“Their practice is beginning to affect our health as many of the people living in this area are always complaining of one health problem or the other, especially typhoid fever.

“Those of us living on Agiliti road, Maidan road, Oniyanrin street, and Oremerin street are the worst hit.

“Last year, we recorded a lot of cholera cases here. This year, I know that a lot has happened but they decided to keep it a secret.

Wooden toilets built on water

“Traders flood this area to use these toilets, especially the wooden toilets built on the river because they are cheaper than the ones built on the land.

“The toilets also serve as bathrooms for some of the traders trying to save cost.

“To use the toilets built on land, you pay N100 to defecate and N50 to urinate. But if you have N20 change with you, they can allow you to urinate.

“However, for the wooden toilets build on top of the river, they charge N50 to defecate and N20 to urinate.

“Most of the men go close to the river to urinate without minding who is looking at them because they don’t want to pay. So, the whole environment is polluted and messy. And we don’t have a good source of water supply here,” he said.

No access to a safe water supply

Olamide noted that their bad situation was compounded by the lack of access to a water supply and poor refuse disposal.

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.

“We want Governor Babagide Sanwo-Olu to help us. Sometimes, some people die here and their relatives will quickly go and bury them, especially children without ascertaining the cause.

“That is even more reason we’re speaking out now. A lot is happening here that requires the government’s attention.”

The term ‘Meruwa’ is Hausa and when translated to English means “water seller”.

Findings by PUNCH HealthWise during a visit to the area by our correspondent revealed that over 15 public toilets located on Maidan Road and Agiliti Road have no sewage tanks.

https://healthwise.punchng.com/lagos-community-where-public-toilet-operators-discharge-faeces-into-river/

Nonchalancy

wordbank:

All shitty and dirty business in lagos is done by yorubas. This mayham is done by them.
If a crime is committed in VI or island, your bigoted mind will also tag igbos.
Normal normal, yoruba dominated environs dey smell wetin no good, food wey dem dey cook sef na eyesore, with babadudus running butt naked with flies singing hallelujah because of shit everywhere.

Stop wailing,
I just pointed out that the area is an Igbo dominated area why are you crying.

Look at the other pics closely see that guy pooing has a flat head.
The next pics are aboki.
Igbos and abokis are strong hustlers from mile2 to alaba market ask anyone and don't be mischievous.

wordbank:

All shitty and dirty business in lagos is done by yorubas. This mayham is done by them.
If a crime is committed in VI or island, your bigoted mind will also tag igbos.
Normal normal, yoruba dominated environs dey smell wetin no good, food wey dem dey cook sef na eyesore, with babadudus running butt naked with flies singing hallelujah because of shit everywhere.

If there is a clampdown on people doing business there now, you'll start screaming Lagos is targeting Igbo business.

tollyboy5:

Stop wailing,
I just pointed out that the area is an Igbo dominated area why are you crying.

Look at the other pics closely see that guy pooing has a flat head.
The next pics are aboki.
Igbos and abokis are strong hustlers from mile2 to alaba market ask anyone and don't be mischievous.

The article states that it's mile12, not mile 2. Nevertheless, nature happens to everyone from every region in the country. Bowel movements do not pick and choose which individual to happen to. The fault of open defecation lies with the government's inability to provide adequate lavatories and toilet solutions to it's citizens

ganisucks:


The article states that it's mile12, not mile 2. Nevertheless, nature happens to everyone from every region in the country. Bowel movements do not pick and choose which individual to happen to. The fault of open defecation lies with the government's inability to provide adequate lavatories and toilet solutions to it's citizens

I'm not accusing anyone.
I'm just trying to let the OP know Igbos dominate mile2 oh! It's mile12 the picture posted are Igbo looking picture tho.

Why do did you have to mention me in particular?

ganisucks:


The article states that it's mile12, not mile 2. Nevertheless, nature happens to everyone from every region in the country. Bowel movements do not pick and choose which individual to happen to. The fault of open defecation lies with the government's inability to provide adequate lavatories and toilet solutions to it's citizens

So I'm not wrong when I said most people making Lagos dirty are migrants.

Next time mention the right person, I didn't attack anyone.

LOL This is standard practice. Let me even ask, where do you think the rickety trucks collecting the shit from your 'suck aways' dumps it? In the River! So why pay the rickety truck to evacuate your shit when you can as well dump it in the river yourself?

Let's keep electing clowns as Presidents and Governors while our children swim in shit at the beaches we take them to for Christmas.

Lagos is the most dirtiest city i have ever been

tollyboy5:

If there is a clampdown on people doing business there now, you'll start screaming Lagos is targeting Igbo business.

What else are owomidas known for if not robbing legit businesses to feed their lord and master.
Come and clampdown make we give you ticket to see your forefathers.
Smellos and shitty pipu

tollyboy5:

Stop wailing,
I just pointed out that the area is an Igbo dominated area why are you crying.

Look at the other pics closely see that guy pooing has a flat head.
The next pics are aboki.
Igbos and abokis are strong hustlers from mile2 to alaba market ask anyone and don't be mischievous.

You sound like someone that defecate 10 times a day. The way shit dey appeal you is astonishing.
Smiling because of shit... oh my Godddd!
Dem born you inside shit?
Na wao