World Toilet Summit: Nigerians to Gear up Investments to achieve its target by 2030- FG
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By Fatima Saka
The federal government of Nigeria has said for the economy to thrive, Nigerians need to geared up investments in all sectors to achieve its targets by 2030 in accelerating adequate sanitation across the country to end open defecation.
President Muhammadu Buhari made this call on Friday in Abuja, through the Vice President of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as he declared the 2022 World Toilet Summit opened.
Buhari reiterated that with the current financial and fiscal constraints on additional expenditure cannot be accommodated by government budgeting alone.
In his statement, the president said that Nigeria needs to have the contribution of partners and stakeholders, adding that with the theme of 2022 world toilet summit: “Sanitation Provisions for Economic Development” which speaks to the issues of partnership and the need for collaboration in overcoming this global sanitation crisis.
“The Nigeria government must acknowledge its roles in providing the needed leadership to rally all of the stakeholders in contributing to improve sustainable access to services.
Develop research institutions, media and other stakeholders also play the roles especially to bring in technical expertise. And also by promoting innovation and scalability.
“Nigeria has consistently affirmed its commitment to the mental water sanitation and hygiene sector which has demonstrated all of these especially all as some of them are the declaration of a state of emergency and implementation of the National Action Plan for the revitalization of the sector.
“The implementation of the Partnership for expanding water sanitation and hygiene PWASH, the PWASH program and the launch of the clean Nigeria user toilets campaign and open this edition which is backed by the presidential executive order platform for private sector organizations working in the whole sectors known as the organized private sector in wash.
“The WASH was also established to ensure effective coordination for the private or private sector interventions. In addition, the national outcome routine mapping survey wash was instituted to monitor progress on the achievement of SDG 6.1 and 6.2.
“The annual WASH on reports, informs, planning intervention profiling and evidence based advocacy. A Capacity Building and research program was also established to strengthen the workforce or improve sanitation service delivery in the country.
“And this has been done in partnership with educational institutions for the training of artists of technical middle level manpower.
“The drive to end open defecation through the Clean Nigeria using the toilet campaign is progressively gaining traction and accelerated access to sanitation services in the country.
“With a total number of 85 local governments already having open defecation free status recorded 85 and Nigeria has achieved one state wide open defecation free status which is Jigawa state.
“Jigawa state has been commended for its achievement. And hoping that this will encourage other states to encourage action and swift action from other states to achieve that same status.
“Of course also other 1000s of satisfied communities across the country while the demand for sanitation services is being generated through the social and behavioral changes communications approach of the campaign.
“Will also recognize the need to strengthen the supply side of the value chain and maximize sanitation the sanitation economy potentials in the country, in 2020 reports on Nigeria’s sanitation economy says that according to the agency reports since exist is 15.5 billion Sanitation economy with prospects of rising dollars for process prospect of rising to 26.1 billion US dollars by 2030.
“This is broken down to 22. 5 billion for the toilet economy, $1 billion for the specular economy and 2.6 billion for the smart sanitation economy. In spite of all these, only a few have been achieved.
“A few of these potentials are currently being exploited. And Nigeria needs to identify scalable approaches for the realization.
“Others focus, means providing an enabling environment that would incentivize the private sector and promote sustainability. It is this search for new ideas that informed our launch of a National Sanitation innovations challenge that is tagged Sonic competition competition.
“The challenge is geared towards harnessing creative ideas and solutions towards ending open defecation, improving access to sustainable sanitation and building the sanitation economy.
“This challenge is often to all states of the Federation. This will help Nigeria to identify scalable approaches that can be supported and projected.
“Winners of the challenge will be awarded prizes which will fall on all stakeholders to support this initiative.
“The 2022 world toilet summit And the theme as you’re already aware is Sanitation, ground and groundwater sanitation and groundwater. Now this calls for us to consider sanitation systems innovations that protect our groundwater.
“Being a major source of water for many of us. We need to promote resilient and sustainable solutions across the sanitation service without negatively impacting on the environment.
“This year, Nigeria witnessed as you all already know, flooding across many communities. And this, of course, caused havoc on lives and properties including our sanitation systems, and has already demonstrated to us the urgent need to expeditiously address our sanitation challenge.
“And recently, Mr. The President inaugurated the Presidential Committee on a plan of action for preventing soil disasters in Nigeria.
“The committee is mandated to come up with sustainable solutions to address the perennial flooding in Nigeria in the next two days. This conference will consider several of the important and critical issues, some of which have already been raised.
“And I’m told that even before this formal opening ceremony, a lot of discussions have already gone on. And it’s our belief that this gathering of distinguished stakeholders will come up with outcomes that will certainly be game changers.
“I will move or significantly forward in our search for the kinds of solutions that we require that will significantly improve sustainable access to sanitation services. We look forward to your recommendations,” Mr. President.
In his keynote speech, Engr. Suleiman Hussein Adamu, Minister of Water Resources stated that the Toilet Organization is organizing this year’s summit in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria and private sectors in water, sanitation and hygiene to properly take actions.
Further, he added that the summit is bringing together government actions for actors, private sector players, water sanitation experts, development partners, NGOs and other stakeholders to highlight the issue of sanitation and bring it into greater focus.
“We are therefore delighted to welcome participants from across the world to Nigeria, as we bring sanitation issues to the floor over the next two days.
“In particular let me especially welcome and acknowledge Mr. Jack Sim, the founder and chair of the world toilet organization who is undoubtedly the most distinguished global icon, an unrelenting champion of sanitation world wide.
“Nigeria appreciates the gesture of the world toilet organization in purposely choosing to host this year’s World wellness Summit in Abuja, in recognition of our determined efforts to read our population’s habit of open defecation and to improve sanitation and hygiene practices generally,” Adamu.
Also in welcome remarks, Mohammed Musa Bello, the FCT Minister said that WTS has provided Nigerians with opportunities for development and collaboration between countries and communities worldwide. Adding that in Federal Capital Territory, his administration has recognized the challenge of open defecation and its attendant negative consequences on health.
Bello stated that his administration has keyed into the federal government’s initiative under the leadership of His Excellency the vice president, the initiative called Clean Nigeria. Use the toilet.
“This is we have key into it and as a matter of fact, we launched an action plan in the territory to end open defecation by 2025 and this involves providing equitable access to water sanitation and hygienic services, as well as strengthening communities led approaches to total sanitation, ” he said.
Also, Jack Sim, the Founder of the World Toilet Organization, stated that to end defecation by 2025, that this involves providing equitable access to water sanitation and hygienic services, as well as strengthening communities community led approaches to total sanitation.
“When the country is clean, corruption disappears. There’s no more corruption after we clean up the toilet,” Founder of WTO.
South Africa Minister of Water Resources, Mr Senzo Mchunu who is represented by David Mahlobo, Deputy Min of Water Resources, emphasized that when it comes to issues of toilets and sanitation, which about dignity, that is longer high on the agenda.
“United Nations to change the voice, that water and sanitation must remain on the top of the agenda because this is our lives.
“This is about dignities, when climate change is discussed. Also It was discussed that in 2017 in Egypt, water and sanitation must not be left behind in our own country,” Mr. Mahlobo.
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