National Sanitation UNICEF Advocates Community Approach

Mr Vindo Alkari, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Officer (WASH), has called on the  Federal Government to include Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach  in the national policy on sanitation.  

Alkari made the call in a letter he sent to Ms Ebele Okeke, WASH Ambassador in Nigeria.

In the letter, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, Alkari said CLTS approach had taken roots in Nigeria.

He said that more than 500 communities had attained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in the country as a result of the implementation of the approach.

“It is very likely that by early 2011 all local government areas in the country may have attained Open Defecation Free status.

“That will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the efforts and to demonstrate that it is possible to scale up to other local government areas across the country and that those communities can be ODF,’’ he said.

He said that more action was required at the local level, as well as in advocacy to scale up the approach across the country.

The chief WASH officer appealed to Okeke to accelerate the harmonising of sanitation policy, which according to stakeholders in the sector, is domiciled in different ministries.

“Under your leadership, the process of harmonising sanitation policy could be accelerated.

“This will help to take sanitation sector to higher levels by placing it on the political agenda, as well as yield positive results among the stakeholders,’’ he said, adding that CLTS is being implemented in 30 states in the country and is gradually gaining acceptability among implementers.

More than 2,654 communities are presently implementing CLTS and 425 communities have been declared ODF in the country.