Minister charges WASH partners on collaboration to tackle open defecation

The Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, has charged all partners in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene programme to step up activities to deliver more toilets to Nigerians of all classes the access to clean use of toilets.

He said the date of 2025 was sacrosanct to make Nigeria Open Defecation Free (ODF) promote a clean and healthy environment for all as the population embrace the use of toilets to ease themselves.

The minister noted that 25 per cent of the population still practices open defecation, a practice which still remains a thing of worry to the administration and provoked practical steps which were taken to clean the country in that aspect.

He pointed out that “the problem is that there are thousands of communities in this country that culturally don’t feel that they need to build toilets.

“They need to have toilets in their houses and it is difficult to quantify that because every day, new households have been created and so on and so forth.

“So it’s a huge number, whatever number we say, the point is, we cannot stop this campaign, until every individual, every family has a toilet in their household; every school has a toilet for the male and female toilets.”

According to him, the private sector has a lot of work to do to expand the target of 90 million toilets aimed at providing Nigerians with access to a clean sanitary environment.

Adamu said this on Thursday, at his office when he received the 2020 global Award for “Outstanding Contribution” to WaterAid by His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.

He said Nigeria government has engaged a lot of partners who through corporate social responsibility could improve access to clean toilets for women and children, especially students in school.

He said the presidential order 009 and the ‘state of emergency’ declared by the federal government on open defecation were all directed at curbing open defecation and would elevate public and private sector response to reduce the phenomenon and free the nation of open defecation.

The award reads: “President’s award for Outstanding Contributions to WaterAid award to Suleiman Hussein Adamu, December 2021 for supporting WaterAid’s mission to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone everywhere, by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales.”

Adamu said the award would inspire more commitment to the efforts at providing Nigerians with access to water and clean toilets especially as the clean Nigeria Campaign was ongoing.

He lamented the poor response of some state governors “the real battle between the city where most of the people reside, and for the state governments to extend the same political commitment as the federal government has shown under the leadership of the present administration.

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“If we have all our Governors committed as the federal government has been committed. I think it’s a done deal. But unfortunately, the problem is that, while some state governments are very committed, many others are not attaching any serious importance to the ODF. This award should tell them that the international community is watching and it is time for them to wake up.

The WaterAid Country Director, Evelyn Mere, said the award came to the Minister and Nigeria after critically analyzing the nominees from 37 countries.

She noted that the impact of the Nigerian Water Ministry under the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu was records of success and deserved the award which would serve as an incentive by the Global body, to Nigeria.

According to her, “The process set in motion to achieve even more in the remaining time of your stay in office, is indeed commendable. These have been documented and will be elaborated in the citation that will be read in the course of this event.

“I must however mention the feedback we have received on your participation in the recently concluded World Water Forum in Dakar, during which you showcased the many successes recorded and opportunities available to transform the WASH sector in Nigeria.

“The leadership you provided during the development of the African Sanitation Policy Guidelines, ASPG by the Africa Ministerial Council on Water, AMCOW, of which you are Vice-President, must also not go without mention, especially as you show commitment to ensuring domestication by bringing select existing policies into alignment with the ASPG.

“We are confident that you will not relent in making meaningful contributions to ensuring that everyone everywhere in Nigeria has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.

“This award is in recognition of your unwavering commitment to achieving long-lasting results in the WASH sector and your outstanding leadership which has positioned the country on a path towards achieving transformational change in Nigeria’s WASH sector.

“It represents the highest level of commendation WaterAid can offer its supporters and is awarded by our President,” HRH The Prince of Wales.