The Directorate of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday, began a two-day sensitisation activities to discourage open defecation in the territory.

Dr Mohammed Dan-Hassan, FCT RUWASSAs Executive Director, who inaugurated the exercise in Abuja, said the campaign would be carried out across the six area councils of the FCT.

Represented by Mrs Aisha Bakpet, the Head of Sanitation in the agency, Dan-Hassan said the exercise was in commemoration of the 2023 Toilet Day.

He said that sensitisation team would inspect public toilets as part of FCTA’s efforts to eradicate open defecation through the promotion of toilets.

According to him, the goal of the exercise is to educate residents on the need to have toilets, how to construct and use toilets as well as the danger associated with open defecation.

The director said the team would visit communities, motor parks and market places to mobilise and sensitise the people on the dangers of open defecation.

“Our target is to reach every person in FCT, both politically exposed persons, market women, farmers, traditional leaders, and religious institutions.

“This is to ensure that everybody is reached,” he added.

Dan-Hassan said the exercise is being supported by WaterAid and UNICEF to discourage open defecation while encouraging the use of toilets.

He said that the World Toilet Day is being celebrated on Nov. 19 of every year, adding that sensitisation exercise was in line with the 2023 theme, “Accelerating Change”.

“We have already visited 428 communities and sensitised them with positive results.

“We are working toward making Kwali Area Council open defecation free. A team has been working there, and hopes that before January 2024, FCT will have at least one open defecation free area council,” he said.