Kaduna State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (Kaduna RUWASSA) says the Clean Nigeria campaign will fast tract Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in the state by 2023.
The Director-General of the agency, Mr Ahmed Munir, gave the assurance in Kaduna on Thursday at the official inauguration of the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Youth Volunteer Engagement Programme on Hand Washing for COVID-19 Prevention was equally inaugurated in the state.
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Munir said that already, Jaba Local Government Area of the state had been declared ODF in 2020, adding that two other LGAs, Giwa and Kaura, were declared ODF in May.
He added that Kudan, Soba and Jema’a LGAs were due for assessment, assuring that other council areas would follow until the entire state was declared ODF.
He said that the state government had recorded a lot of progress in improving access to water and sanitation facilities, with huge impact on the lives of the people.
“In 2020, we were able to install 111 sanitation facilities in primary healthcare centres and schools as well as 95 solar-powered motorised boreholes, covering 300 kilometres.
“We have a total of 1,500,000-litre water storage capacity, with 6,000 water point across the state,” he said.
The director-general further said that this year, the agency had so far constructed 69 motorised boreholes and 565 hand pumped boreholes and sanitation facilities in health facilities.
He said that the inauguration of Clean Nigeria campaign in the state would fast track the attainment of ODF status in the state.
Munir added that the National Youth Volunteer Engagement Programme on Hand Washing for COVID-19 Prevention in the state would go a long way in inculcating good hygiene and sanitation habit among households.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Baloni, said that the inauguration of hand washing campaign in the state was timely.
Baloni, who was represented by the State Epidemiologist, Dr Jerimiah Daikwo, explained that the campaign would significantly address the current cholera outbreak being contained in seven council areas in the state.
The commissioner, while attributing the outbreak to poor hygiene and sanitation, said that about 195 persons were affected, adding that majority of them had been treated and discharged.
She identified the affected council areas as Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Zaria, Lere, Kachia and Chikun.
Baloni commended Kaduna RUWASSA for its tireless efforts at ensuring that every rural community and public institution in the state had water and sanitation facilities. (NAN)
