A monarch of Tyo-or Tsambe Ward in Benue State, His Royal Highness, Tyav Aondoakaa, has commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners for leading the campaign to encourage his subjects to stop the practice of open defecation and embrace the use of toilets.
The monarch called on his subjects to adopt the use of toilets and put an end to all forms of open defecation in the community.
The royal father gave the commendation on Saturday at Gbem Tsambe Council Ward, Vandeikya Local Government Area of the state, during the Promotional Market Campaigns for Improved Sanitation across the 12 Council Wards in Vandeikya LGA. The campaign was organized by the Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA), in collaboration with UNICEF and LIXIL, the sponsor of the intervention.
He said, “The message from UNICEF and their partners is something we must all accept for our own good.
“We must immediately start building safe toilets in homes that do not have them to end open defecation, which people practice, because the benefits are enormous.
“That is the only way we can put an end to the several diseases we record in our communities due to water and air pollution.
“I am personally grateful to UNICEF for coming to our community to help our people see the light and change their behavior and lifestyle. This will ensure our good health, a safer and better environment, which is all for our own good.
Speaking at the occasion, the acting General Manager of Benue RUWWASSA, Mr. Tony Mkpen, represented by the UNICEF Desk Officer, Mr. Adzaagee Douglas, appreciated the massive turnout of the people of Tsambe Council Ward.
He said, “This large turnout is a clear sign that the programme has been accepted by the people.
“Similarly, I thank the sponsors, LIXIL, for finding the 12 Council Wards of Vandeikya LGA worthy of hosting this sanitation demand creation activity, and UNICEF for always supporting women and children in Benue State.”
He called on the people of Tsambe to embrace and adopt the use of toilets in their homes. Mkpen advised that building improved toilets is an indication of a good health lifestyle and longevity for them and their children.
Speaking on the focus of the campaign, the Team Lead, Nanen Gangese, explained that the central theme emphasised during the campaign was the multifaceted benefits of utilizing improved sanitation facilities and eliminating open defecation. “These benefits encompass socio-economic, health, and environmental advantages.
He added, “The campaign underscored the dire health consequences associated with open defecation, including the increased risk of contracting diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever, among others.
“To drive home the message, the experts drew upon real-life experiences shared by local community members, effectively highlighting lthe imperative need to eradicate open defecation in Vandeikya LGA.”
The promotional marketing campaign featured interactive and engaging live demonstrations of improved sanitation facilities, including the Sato pan and Sato stool, by a sanitation marketing expert.
“These hands-on demonstrations not only showcased the benefits of these facilities but also provided community members with practical knowledge on their proper use and maintenance.”
Furthermore, the core message of the campaign was creatively reinforced through comedy sketches, making the information more accessible, memorable, and entertaining for the audience.
By using humor to convey the importance of improved sanitation, the campaign helped to increase community engagement and participation, enhance understanding and retention of key messages, encourage behavior change, and foster a sense of community and social norms around sanitation and hygiene.
The Principal of Universal Basic Education, Junior Secondary School, Gbem Tsambe, stated that the campaign to have toilets built in homes to stop open defecation in the community was the best thing to happen to the people of the area.
While the bulk of rallies occurred in the US, sympathetic demonstrations also took place abroad.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has ordered an investigation into the role…
Umahi said the pace of work on the expressway was less encouraging, and expressed dismay…
“You are telling me I won’t win — what is the meaning of that? Do…
The Senate has released its midterm scorecard, announcing that “we introduced 983 bills, passed 108…
Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has said the greatest honour President Bola Tinubu can give the nation…
This website uses cookies.
