Of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, only 78 have achieved an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status as at May 2022, it has been learnt.
This was highlighted yesterday during the opening of the Southwest zonal review for states in the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign’ which held in Ikeja, Lagos State.
The campaign was launched in May 2019 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and is aimed at ensuring that Nigeria is open defecation free by 2025. It is also backed by a Presidential Order 009.
The Lagos State government however reiterated its commitment towards making the state open defecation free by 2025.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tunji Bello said the state is setting the pace through various initiatives.
Bello, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary (Office of Environmental Service), Omoboaji Gaji, said the state initiated a four- Point Roadmap to drive its action and commitment to the national agenda.
He said: “We initiated a 4-point roadmap agenda – Public Enlightenment and Communication (PEC); Regulation and Standardisation; Bridging of Infrastructural Gaps and Monitoring; Evaluation and Enforcement – to drive the state’s action.
“We have also initialised a Public Private Partnership (PPP), Public Sector Participation (PSP) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plans in the provision of public toilets across the metropolis to bridge the infrastructural deficit.”
Bello added that the state also partnered Reckitt Benckiser to engage 10 Youth Volunteers in five Pilot local government areas of Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Ifako-Ijaiye and Ikorodu – for a continuous Sensitisation and Awareness on best practices on sanitation and hygiene.
The Commissioner also stressed that the initiative is geared towards creating behavioural change, increasing knowledge on the effects of open defecation and how best to care for our sanitary facilities.
Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu said the Federal Minister of Water Resources has been leading the drive to ensure Nigeria meets the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) indicators for the Sustainable Development Goal 6.
According to him, not much is going on regarding the implementation and achievement of results in meeting the campaign objectives in many states, hence, it is imperative that states do all they can to change the narrative. He also hailed Lagos for taking the lead to host the first Southwest zonal review meeting.
Adamu, whose speech was read by an official of the ministry, Mrs. Damilola Akomolafe, noted that the campaign is aimed at ‘mobilising high level political support, resources and the entire populace towards building a new culture of safe sanitation’.
Adamu, whose speech was read by an official of the ministry, Mrs. Damilola Akomolafe, noted that the campaign is also aimed at ‘mobilising high level political support, resources and the entire populace towards building a new culture of safe sanitation’.
It reads: “As at May 2022, only 78 Open Defecation Free local government areas have been recorded. While this is a good progress, it is not significant enough to put us on course our national target of an ODF Nigeria by 2025. Also, the spread of the 78 ODF councils is limited to 12 of the 36 states. This means that 24 states and the FCT have not been able to contribute any ODF council to the national statistics.
“We must also understand that ending open defecation is not just about access to toilets, it is about generating demand for toilets and chanting people’s behaviour regarding toilet usage. Achieving this will require the involvement of all stakeholders and it is in this regard that a national retreat was organised earlier in the year with the inclusion of the participation of key stakeholders to strategically think through how we can accelerate successful approaches in meeting our objectives.”
The minister hinted that Nigeria will be hosting the 2022 World Toilet Summit, noting that it will put the country on the global map and attract more investment to the sector.