Journey to open defecation-free status tedious but worth it — UNICEF Bauchi

The Bauchi Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stated that the journey to attaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in Bauchi LGA was long but ultimately worthwhile.

The statement was made by Nanbam Dawap Michael, Water and Sanitation Officer at the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, who explained that the journey began over ten years ago and has seen success in nine local government areas of the state.

Michael explained that UNICEF supported the Bauchi state government in mobilising communities through the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, which helped communities understand the benefits of being open defecation-free and the dangers associated with practicing open defecation.

She emphasised, “Without safely managed sanitation, women are prone to attacks, abuse, and shaming because open defecation is not dignifying, especially for women.”

“Women don’t have a dignified life because, where there is no toilet, a woman is forced to go outside and practice open defecation. This is not dignifying, and as a result, she has to go to a nearby bush where she is prone to violent attacks. That is not acceptable,” she added.

UNICEF also highlighted the importance of effective faecal sludge management in addressing the issue of open defecation in communities.

Providing an update on the progress made in addressing open defecation in Bauchi state, Abdulsalam Abdullahi Mohammed, the State Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Facilitator supporting UNICEF, noted that creating wealth from human waste (faeces) could accelerate the achievement of ODF status in the remaining local government areas.

“What will also spark the attainment of ODF by the remaining LGs is creating wealth from the waste and increasing private sector participation,” he said.

Abdulsalam emphasised that once people realise that human faeces can be used to create energy or turned into organic manure for farming, open defecation will cease.

“If there is value in this waste, if you can tap energy from it, if you can utilise it effectively and turn it into organic manure, we are good to go,” he explained.

The WASH Facilitator also disclosed that companies from Abuja have started collaborating with local private sector stakeholders in Bauchi to establish farms where they plant fruits using organic fertiliser.

“Very soon, when you see human faeces in the open in Bauchi, you will be shocked; it will be like someone throwing away his money. It will interest you to know that UNICEF’s next big move on sanitation is an innovative sanitation drive. Let’s replicate what has worked well and see how we can improve on having safely managed sanitation that is affordable,” said Abdulsalam Abdullahi Mohammed, the State Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Facilitator.

He further explained that leading innovations and creating opportunities for private sector participation are part of the key objectives UNICEF is pushing for in the state.

After the certification of nine local government areas (LGAs) as open defecation-free (ODF) by the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), three other LGAs in the state are now on the verge of being certified.

Abdulsalam commended Bauchi State Governor Sen. Bala Mohammed’s administration for being proactive in ensuring that the state becomes open-defecation-free.

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