By Ahmed Ahmed
Bauchi state is to establish feacal sludge treatment plant for effective management and conversion of solid waste in to useful energy for domestic use.
Alhaji Bala Zailani, Director of Sanitation and Hygiene at the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RUWASA) made the disclosure during validation workshop for toilet design organized by Wateraid in Partnership with stakeholders in Bauchi
He said the newly designed and adopted user centered public toilets would generate enough solid waste that would serve the proposed faecal sludge treatment plant which is expected to come afloat next year with support from UNICEF.
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According to him, “the plant will serve several purposes like generating energy in the form of gas for domestic use and fertilizer for agricultural purposes especially now that modern fertilizer is above the reach of the common man”.
Zailani advised toilet business operators TBOS present at the workshop to avail themselves of this opportunity by investing in the renovation and upgrading of existing dilapidated toilets and embark on construction of newly adopted toilets to promote their economic well being.
He noted “ in the past, you have to pay to evacuate solid waste from your toilets, but once this plant comes on board it is the outfits that will buy it from you and certainly this will boost your income”
In his contribution, the Bauchi state Chairman of Toilet Business Operators (TBOs), Alhaji Ibrahim Kabo said the gas that would be produced from the plant would reduce his members overhead cost as they would no longer rely solely on electricity.
Kabo, who appealed to the state government to assist TBOs with funds to improve their business, also urged more people, especially women, to invest in toilet business in order to assist the government achieve the goal of ending open defecation across Bauchi state.
