The United Nations Educational Fund (UNICEF) says that more than 95 million Nigerians lack access to sanitation services.
Dr Olusoji Akinleye, Coordinator and Officer in Charge (OIC) UNICEF, Field Office, Enugu, said this on Tuesday, in Enugu, at a media dialogue to mark the “2024 World Toilet Day” with the theme: “Toilets; a place for peace.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the day has been held every Nov. 19 by the United Nations Observance since 2013. Akinleye said that the sanitation situation in Nigeria needed more government interventions.
According to him, today, 48 million Nigerians practice open defecation, 18 million children inclusive, and 95 million without access to essential sanitation services.
“Also, 70 per cent of schools without access to basic sanitation services (~91,000 schools); 88 per cent of health facilities without access to basic sanitation (27,600 health facilities).”
The OIC further decried that 80% of markets and motor parks lack access to basic sanitation.
He blamed insufficient funds for continued Open Defecation (ODF) in Nigeria. “Only 17 per cent (134 out of 774) LGAs have achieved ODF, with nine per cent of successes in UNICEF-supported states. “Federal commitment has declined since 2023, resulting in stalled ODF initiatives,” he said.
He said that the annual funding needed for ODF was approximately N168.75 billion, adding that only N15 billion was invested from 2018 to 2022.
In the same vein, A Wash Specialist in UNICEF’s Enugu Office, Mrs Rebecca Gabriel, said all the states in Nigeria could achieve ODF before the 2030 SDGs.
She called on governments to provide more funds for the eradication of ODF. “Toilets should be built in Schools and other public places to reduce ODF. “Everyone must be involved, including government and public-spirited individuals so that we can achieve zero ODF in every state of Nigeria,” she said. (NAN)
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