By Fatima Saka
Stakeholders and Experts in the Environmental and Health Services sector in Nigeria have expressed their resolve to eliminate open defecation culture in Nigeria by 2025.
This resolution was made on 3rd of March 2022 at the end of the National Retreat on Clean Nigeria Campaign for the South-East, South-West and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria organized by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Nigeria.
The Retreat was attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, ably led by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, who represented the Honorable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman. H. Adamu; Development Partners, including UNICEF, WaterAid, NEWSAW, as well as State Ministries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The stakeholders agreed that each State in Nigeria must accelerate action and raise the profile of the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet campaign, if Nigeria is to achieve Open Defecation Free(ODF) status by 2025, adding that Government does not have all the required resources to move Nigeria to become an ODF State, and therefore called for a collaborative effort between the government, private sector and other stakeholders.
In their words, “there is need for a synergy between State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene/RUWASSA, and Ministry of Local Government Affairs for resource allocation for WASH interventions in the LGAs”.
The retreat also recommended the development of a state-specific framework that supports private-sector partnerships. The essence of this is to enable States to establish and strengthen relationships with the private sector and garner support for their ODF plan.
Other recommendations include: the establishment of WASH ( Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Steering Committee at the State level with members drawn across the line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), private sector and CSOs; the establishment of a reward system for Local Government Areas in recognition of Open Defecation Free (ODF) attainment and sustainability; as well as the need for all Local Government Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Units to be upgraded to departments. This will enable proper allocation and disbursement of funds for effective implementation.
The aim of the National Retreat organized by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) from 2nd through 3rd March, 2022, was to applaud the progress made in the campaign against open defecation, identify gaps hindering the acceleration of the campaign in States, as well as create a platform for cross-learning and to promote the cross-sectorial collaboration and the present 2022 activity plans to states.