The African Human Development Centre (AHDC) has expressed doubts on the attainment of the 2025 target for open defecation-free (ODF) status throughout the country.
The civil society organisation committed to human and societal development, stated this during the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day.
The NGO blamed the lack of political will by federal, state and local governments to implement and enforce the Open Defecation-Free (ODF) roadmap.
In Akwa Ibom State for instance, Governor Umo Eno, had during the media briefing marking the 37th anniversary of the state creation last September, asked the commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Enobong Mbobo, why the State Water and Sanitation Bill had not been signed into law and he assured that the implementation of the policy was ongoing.
But in an interview at the weekend in Uyo, the State capital, the director/chief executive officer (CEO) of AHDC, Prof Gabriel Umoh, explained that the implementation of the policy was only on paper and urged that actions be expedited on the ODF roadmap if the 2025 goal could be attained.
Therefore, the professor of Agricultural and Development Economics at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), wondered why such strategic sector like water should be ignored considering its importance to human health and the environment.
Checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday across public schools in the capital and other public places revealed the absence of standard toilet facilities as the pupils especially at Government School, Aka 1, along Obio Imo Street, and others on the capital, defecate in the open.
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