Nigeria, global leader in open defecation ― UNICEF

The Kano representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Stellah Terve, has said that Nigeria has taken the baton from India to become the global leader in open defecation.

Terve then disclosed that the UNICEF data shows that presently, 46 million Nigerians are bereft of proper toilets and latrines, therefore they defecate openly mostly in rural areas.

Terve made the assertion on Thursday during a monthly sanitary items distribution exercise at the Kano state ministry of local government.

She however disclosed that Kano State was not an exception in this regard, whereby most schools, motor parks, and markets, lack proper restrooms for the people to ease themselves conveniently.

Terve added that is among the reasons why people are prone to infectious diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea.

The UNICEF said that three local government areas of Kano such as Dambatta, Garko, and Wudil were open defecation-free areas while some local governments including Gwarzo, Minjibir, D/Kudu, Takai, Madobi, Kabo, and Bichi are currently within the parameters of working assiduously towards eradicating the menace of open defecations in Kano.

She noted that: “By the virtue of the roadmap, which by the year 2025 open defecation in Nigeria would have been gotten rid off, there’s need for Kano to become a kind of model of functionality amongst its counterparts.”

ALSO READ FROM  NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• ‘39.6 percent of unmarried university students use sexual performance-enhancing drugs’
• Tips on building a happy and healthy relationship
• Safety precautions to observe at the airport
• Safety tips to observe when boarding a ride from a ride-hailing app
• Secure your social media accounts from hackers with these tips
• Things to look out for before starting a business
• Striking a balance between your 9-5 job and your side hustle
• Little or no work experience? Here’s what you can do
• Top 10 Business Ideas In Nigeria You Can Start With 100,000 Naira

She said that being a development partner is proudly willing to compliment the Kano state government’s efforts to solve the menace of indiscriminate defecation ravaging openly in the state, particularly in the rural and some urban areas.

Earlier, the Director in the Kano Ministry of Local Government overseeing the aspects of water and environmental sanitation under the acronym of W.A.S.H, Alh Yahaya Nuhu Amasaye, challenges the participants of the event who are the local governments Head of departments, to roll up their shirts sleeves toward complimenting state government effort in their various districts to stop the menace of open defecations in Kano.

According to him, there is need for a collective and concerted efforts towards eradicating this menace which is very dangerous to health.