FG seeks states’ commitment to end open defecation

According to the ministry, having only 76 open defecation-free local government areas in the nation is a far cry from its target.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said this during the opening ceremony of a national retreat for states on the Clean Nigeria campaign in Abuja.

In a statement, she said the Clean Nigeria campaign was launched because Nigeria has the highest number of people practising open defecation (46 million) in the world.

A woman washes her child in a makeshift home in the Makoko riverine slum settlement in Lagos on November 27, 2020. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images)She said, “Following the national launch of the campaign, many states followed suit with the launch of their state-level campaigns and target dates which ranged from 2022 to 2025.

“As of December 2021, all states had launched their campaigns which was a good indication of a commitment to driving the campaign.

“However, in spite of these state-level official launches, not much was going on regarding implementation and achievement of results, in meeting the campaign objectives in many states.

“As of January 2022, only 76 Open Defecation Free LGAs had been achieved. While this is good progress, it is not significant enough to put us on the course of our national target of an ODF Nigeria by 2025.

“Also, the spread of the 76 ODF LGAs was limited to only 12 out of the 36 states and the FCT. This means that 24 states and the FCT have not been able to contribute any ODF LGAs to the national statistics.”

Walson-Jack added that the needed allocation of human and financial resources to drive the campaign was not in place, which is fuelling states’ inaction in driving the campaign at the sub-national level.

Speaking at the campaign, the Country Director, WaterAid, Ms Evelyn Mere, said crafting a robust multi-sector enabled National Sanitation Policy that was fit for purpose would meet the challenge.

She said, “Nigeria is both strategic and significant in delivering on Sustainable Development Goal 6 for the world. Achieving progress in Nigeria would have a transformational impact on access on a global scale.

“Toilets are important and can make the difference. We cannot afford to let ourselves, our children and future generations down.”

A World Health Organisation Representative, Dr Kelias Msyamboza, at the event said success of ODF represents a success for Nigeria’s public health, national economy and environmental performance.

FG seeks states’ commitment to end open defecation (msn.com)