‘Adopt UNICEF Sanitation Pool Fund Initiative To Check Open Defecation’

Stakeholders in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector have called for the adoption of the UNICEF Sanitation Pool Fund Initiative in Bauchi by other states to scale up the construction of improved toilets by households to check open defecation in Nigeria.

Stakeholders made the call during a one-day workshop organised by WaterAid Nigeria to validate and disseminate the Bauchi State WASH situational assessment report held in Bauchi with MDA representatives, CSOs, donors and the media in attendance.

According to the report, the N20 million released to the Bauchi State government by UNICEF has grown to about N80 million as the fund was lent to toilet business operators who subsequently distributed it to households to construct improved toilets.

The stakeholders who commended the Bauchi State government for judicious management of the fund called for the initiative to be replicated in other federation states to achieve an open defecation-free society.

While presenting the report to stakeholders, the head of advocacy, policy and communication of WaterAid Nigeria, Mr Kolawole Banwo, highlighted findings of the report to include access to basic sanitation in Bauchi State, which stands at 60%, far above the national average of 46% and regional average of 51%.

“Aside from this, the presence of handwashing facilities with soap on premises is about 19% above the regional and national average of 12% and 17% respectively,” he added.

With respect to gaps contained in the report, Mr Banwo identified a lack of permanent leadership in some of the agencies like the Bauchi State Small Towns Water and Sanitary Agency BASTOWA, Bauchi State Water Services and Regulatory Commission and the State Rural Water Supply Agency RUWASA, as creating a gap and therefore called on the government to appoint a substantive head for this institutions to avert management crisis.

The one-day stakeholders workshop advised the Bauchi state government to revitalize the role of the state’s high-level sanitation champions as the policy document does not address the key pillars of sanitation governance.

Earlier, the Ministry of Water Resources spokesman, who also doubles as the permanent secretary, Eng. Mustapha Ahmed Samaila commended WaterAid for undertaking the project and pledged the Bauchi State government’s readiness to adopt key recommendations contained in the report to move the WASH sector forward.