By Obiabin Onukwugha
The global target to end open defecation is 2030. This is contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6.2, which provides for sanitation and hygiene.
Its target is to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation by paying special attention to the needs of women and girls, and those in vulnerable situations.
Nigeria is among African countries still practising open defecation, with slow progress towards achieving the 2030 target, which is just six years away.
As of 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 46 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, rating it at 23 per cent.
This is coming as recent information by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources indicates that 117 of the country’s 774 local government areas have been certified as open defecation free.
In most Nigerian communities and culture, open defecation is not seen as a hazard or linked to a lack of toilets as people find pleasure defecating in open spaces. But the United Nations Child Education Fund, UNICEF, opines that open defecation is the cause of over 7,000 deaths among children in Nigeria.
According to a UN agency’s publication, Nigeria ranks second in the world, with about 47 million people practising open defecation.
The UNICEF also recommended increased budget allocation or at least 1.30 per cent of Nigeria’s annual GDP to tackle open defecation in the country.
It said: “Poor access to improved water and sanitation in Nigeria remains a major contributing factor to high morbidity and mortality rates among children under five. The use of contaminated drinking water and poor sanitary conditions result in increased vulnerability to water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea, which leads to deaths of more than 70,000 children under five annually.
“Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 by 2030 requires extraordinary efforts. Based on World Bank estimates, Nigeria will be required to triple its budget or at least allocate 1.7 per cent of the current Gross Domestic Product to WASH.
However, the yearly budgets, including the 2024 fiscal year recently passed by the National Assembly, have no clear indication as to how much is being allocated to the WASH programme.
A recent statement from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, which celebrated more milestones in the quest for ODF Nigeria, indicated that some of the states only achieved the feat in just one local government area.
The Ministry’s head of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan said the certification was carried out by the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), a multi sectoral platform involving Line Ministries, Agencies, NGO Network, and the Media.
As of 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 46 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, rating it at 23 per cent.
Though a recent report by the World of Statistics, indicated that Nigeria is now ranked ninth and with 18 per cent, following after countries like Niger Republic which tops the list followed by Chad, South Sudan, Benin Republic, Namibia and Togo, amongst others. As of 2021, Nigeria ranked number one on the table.
According to the latest ranking, Niger has 68.1% of open defecation, Chad: 64.1%, South Sudan: 60.1%, Benin: 51.6%, Namibia: 47.2%, Togo: 45.2%, Solomon Islands: 44.8%, Sao Tome and Principe: 42.6%, Madagascar: 42.4%, Burkina Faso: 39.9%, and Liberia: 37.7%,
Others are Mauritania: 30.7%, Kiribati: 29.8% Central African Republic: 25.1%, Sudan: 24%, Zimbabwe: 23.5%, Somalia: 23.1%, Lesotho: 22%, Mozambique: 20.7% Cambodia: 19.3%, Nigeria: 18.7%, Timor-Leste: 18.2%, Haiti: 18.1%, Angola: 18%, Ghana: 17.8%, Ethiopia: 17%, and Sierra Leone: 16.4%.