By Fatima Saka
The Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Sulieman Adamu has called for strong collaboration among all the critical stakeholders to be strengthened to achieve desired result in the commitment of the Federal Government’s plans to end Open defecation by 2025.
Engr Adamu stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, 14th September during a courtesy visit to his office by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ALGON.
He revealed that in 2010, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognised human right to water and sanitation as a global acknowledgement that access to clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) services are essential to the realisation of all human rights.
He said that the Global and National health Authorities such as World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) which manage Wash services, particularly hygiene, form an essential part of preventing and protecting people during infectious disease outbreak.
Adamu said that the Clean Nigeria Pledge Card has been signed by 20 states and FCT indicating commitment to support the Clean Nigeria Campaign in the states and to end Open Defecation in the States.
The Minister urged ALGON to provide a strong leadership for the implementation of Clean Nigeria Campaign in their LGAs and influence LGA leadership to have a staff team for ODF Campaign.
The Minister also called for the establishment and Strengthening of LGA Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)Department.
“It is necessary at this point to push for or commit funds for the existing Wash units towards ODF as well as Establishment of one where none exists,” he said.
In her remarks, the Director General of ALGON Mrs Binta A. Bello pledged ALGON’s support to End Open Defecation saying that
“When we look at the percentage of LG that have participated so far, it is not enough and the possible reason why this is happening is because of the top bottom approach of the program, if we adopt the bottom top approach, I think the percentage will go up in the shortest possible time,” she said.
She further emphasized that there is no project in the country that will be successful without Advocacy and Sensitization of communities noting that, “if we start Sensitization from the grass root/ lowest level we will yield a positive result in no time.”
