By Theophilus Adedokun
ANSWERING the call of nature while on the move in Abuja comes with a price tag of N100 per visit. For traders who go to market daily, this amounts to a monthly expense of N3,000, equivalent to 10 percent of the minimum wage. But these toiles are breeding ground for diseases because of the poor sanitation.
A recent check by AbujaCommunity has shed light on the charges of public toilets across eight markets and motor parks in the Federal Capital Territory. The investigation found that public toilets in areas like Gwagwalada, Gudu, and Zuba charge a standard fee of N100 for usage, a rate also maintained by public toilets in Area 1, Wuse Market, and Utako.
In comparison to the current minimum wage of N30,000, this means that individuals could spend as much as N3,000 monthly solely on using public toilets.
This minimum wage N30,000 was officially endorsed in 2019 following the passage of the Minimum Wage Bill by the National Assembly.
Speaking with AbujaCommunity report, a trader in Gwagwalada market, Nnedu Chima said he spent an average of N250 daily for urinating and defecating.
In contrast, public convenience facilities in the Garki market charge N70, while Berger Park charges N50 for usage.
The cost of urination varies among the public toilets visited by AbujaCommunity, with some facilities charging as little as N30, while others demand a minimum of N50. Notably, public toilets in Gudu Market, Area 1, Zuba Park, Utako Market, and Garki Market charge N50 rate for urination.
Additionally, the cost of using bathroom facilities in these public lavatories ranges from N130 to N200.
However, AbujaCommunity noted that many residents continue to engage in indiscriminate urination and defecation in public areas, including near fences, waterways, gutters, and roadsides.
This is because several public toilets in various locations such as Gwagwalada Market, Zuba Market, Garki, Wuse, Berger, and Gudu, exhibit deplorable conditions, posing significant public health hazards.
Chima said despite spending much on sanitation, he does not get value for the money spent to use the public convenience in the market. But he could not help but pay to answer the call of nature.
“The service delivered is not commensurate with the amount pay. The toilet is too poor, if the management has been taking care of the toilet, we would not complain.”
Similarly, a female petty trader in Park Road, Gwagwalada, Halima Mohammed lamented about the affordability of public convenience sometimes.
“I sell pure water and my profit is small, how will anyone expect me to afford N100 to toilet when I make between N50 to N100 as gain,” she said.
“I cannot pay when I know that I can go to a corner to urinate and defecate.”
She said many times, she had to wait till she returns home before answering the call of nature.
A female POS vendor, Abdulrasak Aminat is not bordered about the charges, but she is also worried about the unhygienic condition of the public toilet at Berger.
“I have been using the toilet for some time and it is affordable but the toilet exposes us to danger because it is dirty,” she said.
AbujaCommunity further observed that, despite clear gender labels on the toilets, both men and women used lavatories intended for the opposite gender in facilities located in Area 1 and Gwagwalada Market.
Furthermore, most of these facilities do not provide accessibility for individuals with disabilities, except for the public toilet in Area 1.
Addressing these concerns, public health expert Adewumi Babatunde warned of the potential for widespread communicable diseases if issues related to public health and public toilets are not adequately addressed in the FCT.
He stressed the importance of proper town planning, the need for more modern public conveniences, and the implementation of affordable housing schemes to alleviate the burden on existing public toilets.
Babatunde also emphasized the role of sanitary officers and environmental health specialists in monitoring public health and sanitation, calling for independent funding to prevent disease outbreaks.
Too bad for a place called the federal Capital territory