FG Explains Clean Nigeria Campaign …Says It Is To Cultivate Culture Of Safe Defecation

The Federal Government says the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign is aimed at cultvating in the populace a new culture of safe defecation in the country.
The Minister, Federal Ministry of Water Resources Mr Suleiman Adamu, said this during the celebration of Open Defecation Free(ODF) status of Logo Local Government Area in Benue.
According to him, in view of the stark reality of Nigeria becoming the next global leader of open defecation once led by India, the current leader would exit the group of countries practising open defecation by October through its Swachh Bharat (Clean India) mission.
“A National Programme to End Open Defecation in Nigeria tagged:” Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet campaign was approved by the Federal Executive Council on May 8 and the national inauguration and flag off of campaign will be performed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The campaign is aimed at mobilising high level political support, resources and populace toward building a new culture of safe defecation.
” A national secretariat for this programme has been set up by the ministry to coordinate activities across the country,” he said.
Adamu, represented by the Deputy Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation in the ministry Mr Emmanuel Eze, said that to achieve the national target of ending open defecation in Nigeria by 2025, all households must be mobilised to provide their sanitation facilities.
The Minister said that relevant government institutions and the private sector must provide sanitation facilities in public places such as schools, health care centres, parks and markets to realise total coverage and sustainable access for the populace.
He said the ministry recognised the fact that action to end open defecation in Nigeria would require the contribution and commitment of everyone, government, civil society, private sector, development partners and the entire populace.
“This will ensure that deliberate and sustained attention required to end open defecation in the country is put in place. “It is expected that these collective action will further the speedy attainment of an Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025,”he said.
Adamu said the benefits of access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, especially living in an open defecation free environment was the impacts on the education, health, security and socioeconomic wellbeing of the people “and it is worth celebrating”.
He therefore commended the people of Logo local government area for their commitment toward behavioural change and encouraged them to be steadfast.
He also commended the support of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) for providing the grant through the Global Sanitation Fund for the implementation of the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) programme.
The achievement was recorded under the RUSHPIN programme, among others.
He assured all stakeholders of the ministry’s commitment toward improved coordination, partnership and implementation of WASH programmes.
Mrs Ebele Okeke, WASH Ambassador commended Logo local government area for the record of the milestone of achieving open defecation free.
Ebele, who was represented by Mrs Ruth During, Programme officer for WSSCC Support Unit office, Nigeria said more needed to be done to meet the global objective of WASH in the country.
According to her, open defecation perpetuates a vicious cycle of diseases and poverty. The reoccurring incidences of water and sanitation related diseases are as a result of poor sanitation and hygiene practices.