Five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cross River State is witnessing a widespread return to open defecation. What was once a controlled issue has become a common public sight in rural villages, markets, and near schools. Residents have begun to normalize the practice, citing the high cost of construction and a general sense of government abandonment as reasons for their defiance.
The state had previously achieved significant progress between 2016 and 2019 through initiatives involving the Water and Sanitation Hygiene Agency and Toilet Pride. Six local government areas, including Obanlikwu, Obudu, and Yakkur, had successfully attained Open Defecation Free status. However, the 2020 lockdowns halted these efforts, and the momentum never recovered.
Reports indicate that sanitary inspectors are failing to enforce regulations, with some allegedly engaging in extortion rather than sanitation oversight. The crisis is severe, with rural regions reporting that 90 percent of households lack basic toilet facilities. Health officials, including Sunday Ebeku of the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency, warn that this practice is directly linked to outbreaks of typhoid, cholera, and intestinal worms, which disproportionately impact child development.
In response, Governor Bassey Otu has signed new legislation to combat the issue. The law grants residents a six-month window to install proper latrines. Following this grace period, individuals without adequate facilities may face up to six months of imprisonment. Alongside this, the state faces broader waste management challenges as infrastructure remains concentrated primarily within the capital city of Calabar, leaving other urban centers struggling with overflowing refuse.