Nigeria targets Open Defecation Free status in 2025
Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources has said that it had developed a strategic document to ensure that the country attains an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by the year 2025.
Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry, Dr Musa Ibrahim stated this on Monday in Calabar, Cross River State capital, during the certification of Bekwarra Local Government Area (LGA) as ODF.
Ibrahim, described Cross River as an example of a state desirous of attaining 100 per cent ODF in all LGAs, adding that Bekwarra had become the third LGA in the state to attain ODF status.
He pointed out that the country was implementing a five year Global Sanitation Fund Support for Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (RUSHPIN) programme with special focus on sanitation and hygiene in Cross River and Benue states.
Besides, the ministry was also conscious of the various challenges facing the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector including the problem of low capacity, inadequate funding and poor coordination.
According to him “the Federal Government through the Ministry of Water Resources is committed to pursuing the collaborative efforts required in addressing these issues and to this end, it has developed the strategic document -making Nigeria open defecation free by 2025‘’.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by Mr Emmanuel Awe, a director in the ministry recalled that disclosed that a National Roadmap, known as ODF roadmap was launched in 2016.
According to him, the ministry also launched a Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme designed as a national collaborative instrument for improvement in access to water supply and sanitation in rural areas.
Cross River State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Gab Odu-Orji hailed stakeholders who worked for the attainment of the ODF in Bekwarra LGA, noting that all the 35 communities of the LGA are now ODF.
