46 Million Nigerian Practice ODF…Clean Nigeria Directors

National Director of “Clean Nigeria :Use the Toilet campaign” Mrs Opara Chizoba has put the number of Nigerians still practicing open defecation at 46 million. 
    Chizoba who said this recently in an interview with the Tide in Port Harcourt 
However said the number can be reduced if every Nigerian remains committed to ending open defecation in the country.
  She said the Indian example should serve to encourage Nigerians to join hands with the government to end open defecation in the country.
      According to her, “if the likes of India had actually been able to move 550 million people away from ODF and end open defecation in the rural areas ,Nigeria can do it,” she said.
    Meanwhile, reports from the clean Nigerian: Use the toilet campaign office says 57 local government areas in Nigeria have attained an open defecation free status.
According to the reports,the local governments are located in eleven states in the country.
  It listed the states as kastina with 16 local government areas,Jigawa 14 local government areas and cross river state sit local government areas.
  The rest are;Benue eight,Bauchi five ,Kano three and Anambra one. 
      Also are ;Akwa Ibom one,Zamfara one ,Kaduna and Osun states also shared one each. In Rivers state,Opobo /Nkoro and Akuku Toru local government areas are at the verge of being certified ODF free according to the report. It would be recalled that Nigeria currently ranks number one open defecation nation in the world.
      The country succeeded India which excited the number one rank last year.
    The number of Nigerians currently engaged in the act has been put at 46 million while in rivers state , the percentage of people indulging in open defecation is put at 14.
    Speaking on the issue in an interview with the Tide in port Harcourt he coordinates clean Nigeria: Use the toilet campaign” Mrs Opara Chizoba blamed said attitudinal problem was responsible for the high figure
     She said citizens must be ready to change their attitudes stressing that until this is done nothing can be achieved as far as the campaign was concerned.
    According to her,India has shown the way it is left for Nigerians to copy.
    She said her office will continue to sensitize Nigerians on health complications of not defecating in the open 
  Also speaking,General manager of the rivers state rural water supply and sanitation agency(RUWASSA) Mr Napoleon Adah said rivers state will not be left out as far as the programme was concerned. 

By: John Bibor / Miracle Peters