SUBEB URGED TO HASTEN RECONSTRUCTION OF COLLAPSED TOILETS IN SCHOOLS TO CHECK ABSENTEEISM

BY DAVID AYODELE

Traditional leaders in Ningi Local Government Area have urged SUBEB to hasten reconstruction of collapsed toilet facilities in schools to check absenteeism.

The District Head of Balma in Ningi Local Government Area, Alhaji Hussaini Sale made the plea during an inspection visit by the state task group on sanitation STGS as part of a certification exercise to assess the readiness of the Local Government to attain open defecation free status.

He described the groups visit to public toilets in schools as a wake-up call considering the importance of personal hygiene to the wellbeing of the public and students in particular as decent public convenience could encourage enrolment, retention and completion of studies.

Alhaji Hussaini Sale Balma said with the current passion parents and children have for western education, effort to sustain the tempo through the provision of decent toilets separate for youths and boys must be promoted.

He appealed to SUBEB and Ningi local government council to use the present school term to re-construct damaged toilet structures and construct new ones in order to attract more patronage.

Earlier the chairperson of the state task group on sanitation, Hajiya Halima Mohammed implored traditional leaders to amplify the message of good personal and environmental hygiene to check the spread of water borne diseases.

Hajiya Halima Mohammed also re-echoed the need for traditional and religious leaders to encourage their people to construct toilets or upgrade local toilets to improved ones to avert collapse during the raining season.