Nigeria May Not Meet 2025 Deadline On Open Defecation – FG

Federal yesterday expressed dismay over the pace at which the country was tackling open defecation in Nigeria, saying with the implementation going at a snail speed, the country might not be able to meet the year 2025 target of wriggling the country out of its present position as number one in the list of countries notorious for open defecation globally.
Minister for Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, stated this during an interactive virtual meeting with the coordinators of ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the toilet’ Campaign’ in the 36 states and FCT in Abuja.
According to him, the ministry has so far recorded 27 local government in the country as open defecation-free while some other 10 local councils are awaiting validation by the National Task Group on Sanitation, making a total number of 37 out of the 774 local government in Nigeria.
He said at present, 16 states have declared a state of emergency following the president’s action last year.
The minister added that the task was not just for the national level to achieve, saying rather it was the collaboration of the states and local levels to key into the project, giving utmost trust while maximizing the best approach through advocacy to attaining its success.
Adamu said, “You may recall we started with one LG that was ODF as at April 2017, but today we have 27 in total, and I understand there are also 10 more LGs that are waiting for validation, but once the validation is done, we have 37LGAs in all.
“Although it’s a slow progress and we will like to see us doing more, we have 774 LGs and we have 5 years to get Nigeria rid of open defecation practice. We are still taking baby steps, but I hope we would make that quantum lead that we need to make as soon as possible”.
On his part, director of Water Supply and Control, Engr Benson Ajisegiri, said part of the process to achieve ODF is the Partnership for Expanded water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) which is intended to accelerate potable water supply, especially to the rural areas in the country where vulnerable kind of diseases are rampant.
He confirmed that 33 states in the country were already partners with the programme, while only three states were remaining, including Borno, Anambra, Rivers as well as the FCT.
Notwithstanding, Ajisegiri noted that out of the 33 active states, 10 states have been randomly selected to have the experience of the first phase of the programme.
He said, “As of today, 33 states have signed the PEWASH protocols with us, indicating that they are interested to participate in the programme. That is very good news. Borno, Anambra, Rivers are yet to sign in with us, as well as FCT.
“We have finished the pilot project in kano and Ogun States. We are now going to the first phase of the project which is going to kick start in 10 states: Imo, katsina, Jigawa, Plateau, Zamfara, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun, Delta and Bauchi.”
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