The Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML) has warned residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially traders and customers against open defecation around the market areas.
The Head of Department (Operations).of AMML, Innocent Amaechina, who gave the warning in an interview with our reporter, said culprit would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the relevant laws, adding that there are sufficient toilet facilities in all markets being managed by the agency in the FCT.
Amaechina said the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitary Agency (RUWASSA), which provides public toilets in public places in the territory, also has toilet facilities in all the markets, stating that residents have no reason to engage in open defecation around the markets.
He maintained that if anyone is seen engaging in open defecation around the markets facility, it couldn’t have been due to lack of toilets, but probably a matter of orientation, which AMML is working so hard to change.
According to him, “For now, we don’t have deficient supply of toilet facilities in our markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This is because there is no market we manage that does not have public convenience. And in addition to that, the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitary Agency (RUWASSA) provides public toilets in public places, and one of such places is the markets.”
Amaechina explained that the public conveniences in the markets are outsourced to private individuals, who let out these facilities and collect a little token from customers for the purpose of ensuring that the facility is kept clean.
He called on stakeholders, including the media, to use their platforms to enlighten, sensitise and educate residents on the need to stop the bad habit of open defecation.