UNITED Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday expressed worry about the country’s slow rate of activities geared towards ending open defecation by 2025.
It noted while 48 million Nigerians, including 18 million children, practise open defecation, the country is ranked No. 1 globally this year, and has been Top 5 in the last 15 years.
It urged the government and stakeholders to intensify community-led total sanitation (CLTS) for demand creation, mobilisation, awareness and advocacy; engage private sector to build toilets; provide financial support to access financing and low incomes toilet business owners (TBOs) to build their toilets.
Speaking during a media dialogue on open defecation in Bui, Borno State, UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Ogochukwu Adimorah, said: “Nigeria cannot continue business as usual or it will miss the target of 2025 and 2030! There is a need to strengthen and scale up proven strategies to reach the country’s goals. We are not on track to end open defecation by 2025 or 2030 at the current rate.
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“Some of the challenges are: Low financing, commitment and investment interest in sanitation. Low private sector participation, low awareness health and business cases for sanitation. Population growth rate, climate change, and growing insecurity. Coordination and collaboration with other sectors – health, education, environment, and others.
“We cannot leave it to the households to afford sanitation. The Government must support them, especially the rural areas. We are optimistic that Nigeria can do it before 2030 because of the resources it has, especially the private sector. But we are not using them enough.”
In his remarks, Acting General Manager, Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Engr. Babagana Saad, said: “Some of the key factors in the achievement of the open defecation free status by Bui and Shani Local Government Areas (LGAs), include: Joint funding of projects activities between the Government with UNICEF/Donors; the State and LGA providing an enabling policy that supports the projects.
“The role of Traditional leaders has played in encouraging the community members in taking ownership of the WASH facilities provided, particularly His Royal Highness the Emir of Biu.”