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Federal Government has reiterated commitment to aggressive implementation of policies and strategies that will end Open Defecation (ODF) in Nigeria by 2025.
Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Adamu represented by Juliet Chizoma gave the indication while speaking at a National Sensitisation Campaign on Open Defecation Free Nigeria and Capacity Building Workshop for Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers of the National Orientation Agency, Kwara State Chapter in Ilorin.
Engineer Adamu explained that ending ODF was not just about having access to toilets but also generating demands for toilets and changing people’s behaviour regarding toilet usage, stressing that, the Clean Nigeria Campaign that was launched,19, November last year was aimed at mobilising political support and resources to build a new culture of safe sanitation.
Also, Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari who was represented by Mrs. Roseline Akanya explained that the unwholesome practice of open defecation is responsible for diseases such as diarrhoea, internal worm infestation, typhoid, cholera and others, pointing out that the sensitisation is timely to achieve desired result.
Dr. Abari added that, the NOA would ensure continuous re-orientatation and Mobilization of Nigerians for social change and solicited for the support of the media to achieve Open Defecation Free Nigeria by the year 2025.
In an address of welcome, NOA Director in Kwara State, Mr. Olusegun Adeyemi explained that, there was no better time to eradicate open defecation than now when there are strong gender impacts as lack of safe toilet makes women and girls vulnerable to violence and other forms of infectious diseases.
While charging the participants to maintain their high standard of program execution in the ODF Free Nigeria campaign, Mr. Adeyemi maintained that open Defecation is an affront to human dignity and exposes women and girls to increased sexual exploitation.
The National Sensitisation Campaign on Open Defecation Free Nigeria and Capacity Building which was organized by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and NOA Kwara featured paper presentations titled ” Overview of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector in Nigeria” by Mrs. Abasiama Ebresso and “Overview of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign” by Ms. Juliet Iordye from the Ministry of Water Resources.
