The Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), a civil society organisation, has called for the declaration of a state of emergency on water and sanitation in Kogi State without further delay.
Mr Idris Abdul, the Executive Director of CHRCR, made the call in a statement on Friday, February 16, 2024, in Lokoja, the state capital.
According to him, sanitation policy in the state needs to be reviewed under the new administration.
“As the new government in Kogi under the leadership of Alhaji Usman Ododo settles down, there is a need to review the sanitation policy in the state.
“To reflect the current challenges, Kogi witnesses not less than 10,000 vehicles crossing the state on a daily basis, posing environmental challenges because of human attitude due to negligence of basic hygiene.
“It is condemnable that a state capital like Lokoja will stay without water; open defecation has become alarming in Lokoja town and across the state.
“Refuse is scattered across the town, without the evacuation as and when due; worst of all, the refuse dump sites have remained unkempt without proper management.
“We call on the state of emergency on water and sanitation in Kogi State without further delay,” he said.
He recommended that a specific date be set aside for cleaning the markets and motor parks to improve sanitation in those places.
Abdul further called for a stakeholders’ conference on environmental sanitation in the state as it would generate ideas on how to move the sector forward.
By Taiye Elebiyo Edeni
