Effectiveness of Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency’s Communication Strategies in Curbing Open Defecation Practice Among Residents of Jos North, Plateau State

Abstract

Open defecation practice, which is as old as the existence of humans, remains an international challenge, with developing nations, which Nigeria falls into the worse hit. Available data review that 2.4 billion people globally do not have access to basic sanitation facilities such as toilets or latrines. Various communication strategies have been adopted by state, national and international
organizations to curb this menace. Therefore, the study assessed the effectiveness of Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency’s (PEPSA) communication strategies in addressing open defecation practice in Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State. The study was guided by the Persuasive Communication Theory. This theory finds relevance in this study due to the fact that PEPSA has been using various communication strategies to persuade the people of Jos metropolis for them to be aware of the health issues associated with open defecation and the need for the people to stop this act. Mixed research methods were used; data were collected through in-depth interview and questionnaire. Finding revealed that PEPSA employed various communication strategies such as town hall meetings with stakeholders, engagement of town criers, community theatre, use of traditional and religious worship centres, and use of billboards, pasting of information on walls, and other strategic locations and use of banners. Others are the use of conventional mass media like television, radio, newspapers, magazines; use of social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok; and distribution of leaflets, flyers, pamphlets otherwise known as information education communication materials. The study
however found that the communication strategies have not been very effective due to certain challenges such as people’s attitude and lack of sustainability of the communication strategies by PEPSA and poor monitoring mechanisms. The study, thus, recommended among others that PEPSA should increase the knowledge of the people through increased use of various communication strategies to defeat the held belief practice of open defecation.