Bayelsa State Lawmaker, Kate Owoko Speaks On Why She Built Zinc Floating Toilet For Her People

Two days ago,  Bayelsa state House of Assembly member, Kate Owoko, came under heavy criticism after photos of a zinc floating toilet which she built and commissioned, for members of her constituency in Okori Ama and Oweidei Ama community in Amassoma LGA, Southern Ijaw constituency of the state, surfaced online.

Many Nigerians felt that this isn’t the kind of project lawmakers should be commissioning for members of their constituency in 2017. They blasted her and seriously dragged her on social media.

Kate has, however, come out to defend her project. In a statement she released via her social media handle, Kate said the women in her community demanded for the floating toilet, saying that it was their most pressing need. The statement released by her media team reads

“In line with widespread rumors on the ‘floating toilets’ provided for the women of Okori-Ama and Oweidei-Ama of Amassoma. These were the pressing (immediate) need from these women at the time. Due to the terrain of these said compounds, they were in grave need for such toilets to answer to the ‘call-of-nature’. Prior to today these women hard to expose themselves to unsanitary conditions. Hence, requested particularly for such toilets from their representative. Hon Kate Owoko ‘personally’ saw to the actualization of this pressing demands from her constituents. This should be in no way mistaken for a constituency project which is her primary duty to her people. We are all aware that Her constituency project is on Education and it is ongoing” the statement read