FG makes plan to end open defecation

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, on Friday, announced that the Federal Government would next Tuesday launch the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan to drive the 2030 Open-Defecation Free target across the country.

Utsev, at a briefing in Abuja ahead of the launch of the strategic plan and the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day themed, “Toilets – A place for peace,” noted that only 135 local government areas in the country have attained the ODF status.

The minister said, “The Strategic Plan for the Clean Nigeria Campaign is a comprehensive, actionable framework that outlines our path to a clean Nigeria where everyone will have reasonable access to use a toilet by the year 2030.

“The importance of this campaign cannot be overemphasised because every step taken towards ending public education will improve health, boost productivity, and enhance the dignity and safety of our citizens.

“Achieving this will definitely require active advocacy and engagement of relevant stakeholders to mobilise high-level political support that will drive the campaign, especially at the sub-national level.”

He said the theme for the 2024 WTD highlighted toilets as a place of peace, protection, and progress, essential for public and environmental health.

World Toilet Day is celebrated annually on November 19 to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve SDG 6, which promises sanitation for all by 2030.

“The activities highlighted for this year’s celebration include the launch of the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima on November 19, 2024 at the State House in Abuja, a commemoration event by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Kano State Government on November 19, 2024,” he noted.

The minister emphasised that the event would help to trigger the needed campaign commitment at the sub-national level and that about 11.58 million toilets have been built so far as an intervention for Nigeria to achieve ODF and efforts are still ongoing to provide more sanitation facilities.