Minister Tasks Women, Youths On Open Defecation

Women and young people are key change agents towards ending open defecation practice in the country, the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu has said.
Adamu, who said this at the unveiling of the Youth-Led Total Sanitation (YLTS) Strategy, noted that mainstreaming this category of persons was central to the country’s fight towards ending open defecation by 2025.
According to him, the formal launch of the YLTS strategy puts the youth on the frontline and emphasising their roles in reversing the ugly trend.
He said the theme, ‘The Role of Young People in Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025’, was apt and also a deliberate call to action by stakeholders in harnessing the young people towards achieving the target.
The minister while appreciating the Presidency for showing keen interest in the Water and Sanitation sector, noted that this was a collective desire to change the narrative of Nigeria’s open defecation status.
“I wish to reiterate the fact that open defecation pollutes the environment even as it poses a great threat to the entire population and the dignity of the human person.
“Therefore, our youths are a key resources not only in the clean Nigeria campaign initiative, but also in other aspects of our engagements.
“The need for awareness creation and mass sensitisation on the adoption of good sanitation and hygiene practices became imperative so as to maximise the benefits’’.
Adamu said the ministry had fostered partnerships with the National Orientation Agency and the Organised Private Sector on Water and Sanitation for scaling up sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria.
The partnership with NOA, the minister said was done with the use of Communication Orientation and Mobilisation Officers to disseminate key messages of the Clean Nigeria campaign.
Executive Director, Youth Water Sanitation and Hygiene Initiative Africa (YOUTHWASH), Mr Nature Obiakor, said the body was working and campaigning for right and access to potable clean water and sanitation.
According to him, the partnership to promote youth participation in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs in Nigeria, is a deliberate one as they have the zeal and passion as tomorrow’s leaders.