Sanitation, Hygiene: Group Urges Collective Effort

Advocacy and Partnership Manager, Water Aid Nigeria, Mr Saheed Mustafa, says scaling up sanitation and hygiene in the country requires the collective effort of all stakeholders in the sector.
Mustafa told newsmen in Abuja that the Federal Government alone cannot provide basic sanitation needs for its citizens.
According to him, scaling up sanitation and hygiene in the country requires big investments, adding that there is the need for the country to have a pool of resources for meeting this target.
“We also know that there is no way the government can do it alone, so individually and as a people, sanitation is our responsibility as human beings”, he said.
He said that no responsible that live out money to people to wash their hands and called on all Nigerians to learn to keep their environment clean.
“For me, that should be the norm, the attitude and behaviour of Nigerians, it should not be as a result of Ebola.
“Now, if you go to hotels, schools and all of that, you hardly see those facilities for hand washing that we used to see during the Ebola crises, and that is worrisome”.
The Partnership Manager said the organisation recently  inaugurated a five-year strategy toward the strengthening of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH) sector in coordination and better investments.
Mustafa stressed the urgency for more persons to get involved in the WASH sector.
He explained that when people were involved, the needs and overall goal  of hygiene promotion and access to water would be achieved .
While commending the Sustainable Development Goal 6, which saw an entire goal dedicated to WASH, he added that the goal also gave special  attention to women, children and the defenceless.
He said that the goal ensured availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Commending the Federal Government’s Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) Programme, Mustafa said there was the need for a similar programme for the urban and small towns.
He also called for purposeful investments in water facilities, toward improving  water availability for Nigerians especially for the rural poor.