The Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency (PEPSA) has commenced the service of final abatement notices to households in Jos South Local Government Area that do not have functional toilet facilities.
The enforcement action is being carried out under the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme, following sustained efforts by the agency to improve sanitation compliance across affected communities.
According to PEPSA, the agency had previously engaged households and community leaders through sensitisation campaigns, public education, advocacy and meetings with household representatives on the importance of providing and using proper toilet facilities.
The agency also provided assistance to vulnerable households that faced difficulties in meeting the requirement, including the construction of new toilet facilities and upgrading of existing ones.
However, PEPSA said some households have remained without functional toilets despite the interventions and opportunities provided to enable compliance.
With the process now entering its final stage, affected households served with the abatement notices have seven days from the date of service to provide functional toilet facilities and comply with applicable sanitation requirements.
PEPSA warned that households that fail to comply within the stipulated seven-day period will face prosecution in accordance with the law.
The agency urged all affected households to use the final compliance window to immediately provide functional toilets and avoid enforcement action.
PEPSA Director General, Samuel Nathaniel Dapiya, said the agency had engaged, educated, advocated and provided support where necessary, stressing that the next phase would be enforcement.
He reiterated that every household is required to have a functional toilet facility, adding that compliance with sanitation standards is mandatory.
