By Muhammad Amaan
Clean Nigeria, Use the Toilet Campaign Conference, said that 142 out of the 744 Local Government Areas, (LGAs) in Nigeria have been certified open defecation free by the Federal Government.
National Coordinator of the conference, Mrs. Chizoma Opara, disclosed this at a one-day Sensitisation Programme organised by the conference in Awka, Anambra State on Friday.
The campaign was organised by the National Water Resources Building Network, South East Centre in collaboration with Clean Nigeria, Use The Toilet and Environment Development.
Mrs Opara regretted that Nigeria, at the 21st Century, still talked about open defecation and described the act as “high lack of commitment” by the stakeholders who should know better and drive the advocacy down to the grassroots for greater success impact.
“We need to encourage better sanitation in the country as poor water supply and hygiene as well as environmental degradation is a big challenge in Nigeria.
“Three LGAs in Anambra state comprising Anambra East, Aguata and Nnewi North have also been certified open defecation free by the Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) and urged more efforts to cover all the states in the South East.
“Genuine commitment by key stakeholders, religious bodies, traditional rulers, women, youth groups and private individuals in combating the menace of open defecation in Nigeria is apt,” she said
She called on Nigerians to develop the spirit of patriotism in the comprehensive war against open defecation in every part of the country with a view to reducing it to barest minimum.
Mrs Opara said that the programme were hinged on advocacy on behavioral change, imbibing a whole lot of culture and capacity building among Nigerians for holistic fight of the holocaust in the country by all.
She said that the organisation would soon come up with a new strategy anchored on five pillars to include funding, creating of an enabling environment, environmental awareness campaign, advocacy and communication among others.
She called on those in the private sector and philanthropists in the state to key in to drive to change the narratives of open defecation in Nigeria as government could not do it alone.
Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Anambra State Water Resources Management Agency, Mr Ike Obi Ejiofor, said that the essence of the event was to interact and to drive the five states in the South- East to clean and hygienic environment.
He described the attendance of the event by the five Commissioners of power and water resources in the South- East as a clear testament that the coordinator of the programme had a very strong strategy.
Mr Ejiofor noted that in 2019 and 2020, Anambra was declared open defecation free with particular reference to Anambra East, Aguata and Nnewi North respectively by the Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH).
The Director-General, National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna, represented by Mr Mike Nwode, stated that the sensitisation campaign was apt and timely considering the efforts the Federal Government made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said that the goal was to target universal access to safe and affordable water and access to sanitation and hygiene and to end open defecation by 2030 in the country.
According to him, Nigeria is losing about N450 billion to poor sanitation annually.
