Some residents of Abuja have called on the government to bring back the monthly sanitation exercise, saying the suspension of the program has left many parts of the Federal Capital Territory dirty and unsafe.
The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews that the sanitation day helped to keep the city clean, encouraged community effort, and reduced health risks. They expressed worry that the exercise, which they were already used to, was stopped without explanation.
Mr Amos Abache, a community leader in Bwari, said the return of sanitation with strict enforcement would restore order and promote better waste management.
“At least, once a month, as it was done in the past, preferably on weekends, residents should be compelled by the authorities to come outside to clean up their surroundings,” he said. “They should cut overgrown grasses, clear drainage, gather and burn wastes. This will not only make the environment look beautiful but also reduce the spread of diseases like cholera, malaria and typhoid.”
Abache urged the government to deploy environmental health officers, law enforcement and mobile courts to ensure compliance and punish defaulters.
Mrs Rabi Ohida, a health worker, said pollution in the city poses serious health risks.
“The campaign against environmental pollution must go on, it must not stop. Asking residents to come out on a particular day, at least once a month, to clean their surroundings after cleaning their interior, will not be a bad idea. It is a necessary step to improve our environment healthwise and its aesthetics,” she said.
She also called for more public education on waste disposal, recycling, and hygiene practices, insisting that the government must be relentless in fighting environmental pollution.
A businessman, Mr Mohammed Sani, said community involvement in sanitation would reduce the workload of local councils.
“Clean environments are more attractive, can raise property values, and improve quality of life. You can see how most areas in the FCT are dirty, with waste all over the place, especially on the major roads. These were done by people. So, if they are asked to come out and gather all these themselves, with a sanction attached, they will learn to adjust and stop indiscriminate dumping,” he said.
But environmentalist Mr Zachary Abutu warned that enforcing sanitation without proper planning could cause problems.
“Market closures, roadblocks, or business interruptions during clean-up days can affect livelihoods and daily routines. Lack of proper planning, sensitisation and even supervision can render the effort ineffective,” he said.
He noted that participation might be inconsistent, leaving some areas clean and others still dirty. However, he agreed that with proper enforcement, regular waste collection and community education, sanitation can improve public health.
The monthly sanitation program was first introduced in 1984 under the military regime of Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, backed by the War Against Indiscipline decree. Movement was restricted every last Saturday of the month for three hours to allow residents clean their surroundings.
Though former FCT Minister Nyesom Wike announced in 2023 that at least two Saturdays each month would be set aside for sanitation, the plan has not been enforced two years later.
Residents are now asking the authorities to revive the exercise before the city’s waste problem worsens.
