Umeakuka J. Maurice
Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Nigeria
Corresponding Author’s email: umeakukamaurice@yahoo.com
Abstract
This article assesses the extent of sanitation in the various neighbourhoods of Onitsha Metropolitan Region in line with the tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals programme. The research aims at evaluating the nature and efficacy of the various sanitation methods used by the residents of the commercial city of Onitsha. This is with a view to contributing to towards attaining the sanitation target of the Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030. The target is that everyone should have a safely-managed sanitation facility by 2030. The objectives of the study are: to ascertain the proportion of people using WHO/UNICEF improved sanitation facilities in Onitsha, to identify various methods used by the residents of the city to dispose off their domestic waste, to ascertain the level of handwashing exercise in the various neighbourhoods of the study area, and to develop strategic action plan for improved sanitation in line with the SDG target.To achieve the stated objectives, primary and secondary data were collected through the administration of questionnaires to 815 respondents chosen from five layouts in the study area. The questionnaires were administered to respondents from the selected neighbourhoods through stratified random sampling technique. This was complemented with direct field evaluation. The data obtained were analyzed using tables, percentages and charts, and the results showed that the methods of faecal disposal used by the resident are in line with the requirements of the SDG for a healthy living, save for a negligible number who still use unsustainable methods. The same thing applies to methods of solid waste disposal and personal hygiene practices. From the findings, the paper recommends the involvement of non-state actors, by way of concession, in the evacuation of human excretion and trash collection in the city.
Assessment of Sanitation Status of the Various Neighbourhoods of Onitsha Metropolitan Region of Anambra State, Nigeria
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