Improve Sanitation To Be Open Defecation Free – Utsev

By Georgina Humphrey

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation says Nigeria needs to improve its sanitation value chain in order to become open defecation-free by 2025.

The minister, Professor Joseph Utsev, stated this at a news conference organized by the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment to mark World Toilet Day in Abuja.

Prof Utsev called for the speedy provision of good and safe toilet facilities and efficient waste disposal.

Prof Utsev explained that one hundred and five local government areas and over forty thousand communities have achieved open defecation-free (ODF) status but more still needed to be done to meet the SDG target by 2025.

He said the government was committed to creating an enabling environment through policies, regulations, and frameworks noting that government has implemented policies and projects that are producing positive outcomes to accomplish the set objectives.

”In recognition of the cross-cutting nature of government’s interventions, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation is collaborating with other partners under the auspices of the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) to commemorate the 2023 World Toilet Day.

“The commemoration activities are targeted at mobilizing actions at all levels through building synergy to improve sustainable access to sanitation in the country” Prof. Utsev stated.

“It is our target to reach every Nigerian with a message on safe toilets and sanitation systems in the course of these engagements. The modest achievements recorded through our interventions were made possible through the collaboration of partners.” The minister added.

On his part, the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas, described toilets as the foundation stone of the public.

Malam Abbas therefore warned that open defecation in Nigeria will no longer be business as usual as the Ministry will henceforth deploy all its regulatory framework to ensure adequate enforcement of sanitation laws in the country.

By Georgina Humphrey