Sanitation: Stakeholders Call For Accelerating Actions Against Open Defecation

Stakeholders of WaterAid, NEWSAN, UNICEF, OPS-WASH, Youth WASH Africa, Lixil-SATO, and ALGON have called for the need to fast-track actions that would accelerate progress toward the attainment of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Nigeria by 2025.

The stakeholders who were participants at the Second National Retreat for states on clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, also stressed the need to re-think the effectiveness of current approaches and strategies for delivering National Sanitation targets.

They advised the federal government of Nigeria to move beyond containment to safely managed sanitation, as well as harness different opportunities for fundraising and resource mobilisation.

This was made known in a communique issued at the end of the Retreat, which was held in Abuja, with the theme: Sustaining the Gains of Improved sanitation towards an ODF Nigeria,” with 127 participants drawn from State RUWASSA’s which are the 32 States and FCT.

The communique was signed by representatives of the North East Zone, South West Zone, South East zone, North West Zone, South-South Zone, North Central zone, and director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation Federal Ministry of Water Resources, respectively.

According to the Communique, since the inception of the Clean Nigeria Campaign, some of the challenges identified that may deter the success are as follows: low political-wiIl at the sub-national level; Low prioritisation; poor capacity; inadequate funding poor private sector support; poor partnership and collaboration.

The Communique read, “After two days of deliberations at Plenary and Technical Sessions, the following key resolutions arrived at and their implementation strategies: ODF drive through Clean Nigeria Campaign should move beyond containment to safely managed sanitation with consideration for urban areas, and States should intensify efforts and rethink their implementation strategies by adopting context-specific approaches towards achieving ODF Status.

“States should review or develop WASH-related policies in line with the SDGS 6 Target, expanded and multifaceted partnerships at the sub-national level are required to contribute to fast-tracking progress and sustaining results towards meeting the SDGs-6 in Nigeria.

“States should explore and harness funding for sanitation via the organised private sector, Philanthropists, indigenes in Diaspora, and States should harness opportunities available in sanitation economy within their jurisdiction through engagement with relevant stakeholders, like private sector and financial institutions.

“CNCS/States should leverage religious/traditional institutions and other notable personalities in driving the campaign to end open defecation. States should harness the innovation and the potential available within the youth in contributing to WASH service delivery. OPS-WASH committed to adopting 100 LGAs to attain ODF status across the country between 2023 and 2024.”