Koko Maxwella 
CALABAR, Nigeria – The Cross River State House of Assembly has passed a bill banning open defecation across the state, marking a major step toward improving sanitation and public health.
Lawmakers approved the legislation on Thursday after adopting a report presented during plenary by the House Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation.
Presenting the report, committee chairman Kingsley Ntui says the bill is critical to tackling persistent sanitation challenges linked to the practice.
“About 47 million Nigerians still practise open defecation, and the habit contributes significantly to the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid,” Ntui says.
He commends the state government’s ongoing efforts to improve sanitation and urges lawmakers to promote hygiene programmes within their constituencies.
Ntui also reveals that eight local government areas in Cross River State have already been declared open defecation-free, following support from development partners including UNICEF and Self Help Africa.
However, he notes that several challenges still hinder progress, including limited sanitation infrastructure, inadequate access to clean water, poverty and low public awareness.
Lawmakers who contribute to the debate say the bill aligns with both national and international sanitation initiatives aimed at eliminating open defecation.
They argue that enforcing the law will help strengthen environmental cleanliness while improving residents’ overall health.
Speaker of the House Elvert Ayambem praises the committee’s work and welcomes the passage of the legislation.
“This law will help create a cleaner environment and reflects the Assembly’s commitment to passing people-oriented legislation that improves the welfare of residents,” Ayambem says.
The law also supports the federal government’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, which aims to ensure universal access to safe sanitation services and eliminate open defecation in Nigeria by 2030.
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