Editor,

It is an indisputable fact that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Indeed with health, everything is possible. For any country to attain meaningful and sustainable development, it must have a vibrant and healthy human capital. This fact should be the blue print for any sound administrative system. For this reason, I am so pleased with the government’s enactment of the anti-littering law which seeks to curb the rampant indiscriminate dumping, littering and pouring of dirty water in the streets.

The move is phenomenal, as it ushers an environmentally negligent society into a more health conscious and enlightened one. However, it is important that other aspects are considered for a more holistic way of promoting a healthy environment. It has become disgustingly rampant in the society for people to urinate in the streets, particularly against the fences of compounds along streets.

This does not only create health hazards, but also affects the durability of the fences as well as pose moral questions. It is evident that urine is toxic and so could easily damage a fence rendering it to collapse sooner than it should. This is an offence; it is uncalled for and could evoke legal action. The moral aspect of it is the most serious part as far as I am concerned. It is against the moral and societal values of the country. I cannot just understand how a grownup could stand against a fence, in an open place or in public, to urinate. This becomes more disgusting and shameful if it is an elderly person.

I am always downed by this sight and I wonder what bars these people from getting into the nearest compound to ease themselves. After all, is Gambia not a religious, peaceful and highly understanding country? Where people can feel bad when they invite you to join them during their meal and you refuse? Why would those people deny you access to their lavatories? To spare part of one’s time and get to a nearby compound to ask for a place to ease oneself is no waste of time.

That way you have protected your dignity, saved the environment, saved a private property (fence) and saved people from inhaling polluted air.  It is true that the call of nature cannot be ignored; it is in the same way true that it must not be answered anyhow. This is especially so if the environment is conducive enough to do it right. I therefore plead with the populace to desist from urinating in the streets and public places.

I suggest that public lavatories be built in places where people often meet for one reason or another. This is especially so with garages and sports grounds and the like. This may not need the intervention of the authorities; just mobilize your resources and build yourselves simple but decent lavatories and enhance health, rather than turning corners into toilets. For passers-by, you can just get to the nearest compound.

Nonetheless, I urge the authorities to seriously look into this matter. You may flirt with the idea of putting strict measures to this, to ensure a secure and healthy environment and people.