As part of efforts to address open defecation, Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) is to build pit latrines for 2,000 households in Gombe local government area of Gombe State.
Gombe State SURWASH coordinator, Usman Aliyu disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists on the activities of SURWASH in the state.
He said they would target the poorest people in the project so that they could have access to toilets and avoid open defecation which causes the spread of diseases.
“There is the need for us to construct the pit toilets for them to discourage the spread of diseases and to achieve open defecation-free (ODF) status.
“The programme, which will run for six years, became effective in January 2022 and it is expected to ensure reforms in governance and service provision through increased access to drinking water and sanitation services through the construction and rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure,” he stated.
According to him, the programme which would cost about 700 million dollars approved by the World Bank would be implemented in seven states including Gombe in the first phase.
