Wary of the rapid spread of cholera causing high morbidity and mortality across the country, the Federal Government has initiated measures to combat the epidemic by addressing its root causes, including ending open defecation by 2025.
Vice President Kashim Shettima spoke on Thursday at the inauguration of the Steering Committee for the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima referenced the 2018 Water and Sanitation Hygiene national outcome, which revealed that approximately 47 million Nigerians, constituting 23 percent of the population, engaged in open defecation.
He emphasized that ending open defecation can be achieved by mobilizing strategic stakeholders, leveraging technology, and deploying innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the nation’s sanitation landscape.
Highlighting the importance of hygiene and health, Shettima urged the committee to align with broader government priorities in areas such as poverty reduction, education, and economic growth.
The recent cholera cases in the country, according to the VP, should serve as motivation for the committee to work diligently. He directed the committee to develop solutions to address wastewater management, contaminated water sources, and open defecation nationwide.
Expressing confidence in the committee’s commitment to research-driven approaches, Shettima stated, “Achieving this objective begins with our collective resolve to embrace behavioral change and cultivate a lifestyle prioritizing proper sanitation practices, hygiene education, and community engagement.”
He also stressed the importance of harnessing resources from both public and private sectors and conducting innovative research to achieve the campaign’s goals.
“The public sector cannot succeed in this campaign unless we engage and encourage private sector participation and invite innovative and sustainable solutions. We must partner by utilizing technology for real-time monitoring, data collection, and impact assessment while recognizing the role of youth and women in driving change,” Shettima emphasized.
The Vice President tasked the committee to remain vigilant, especially as they develop solutions to the challenges posed by climate change, urbanization, and population growth, and to act as ambassadors for restoring the health and dignity of the people.
The meeting, which is the fifth since the flag-off of the Clean Nigeria Campaign in 2019, served as a forum to review the progress achieved so far.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, recalled that the Federal Executive Council recently commissioned a cabinet committee to tackle the cholera epidemic, which has affected 33 states with 2,000 cases and 33 deaths.
He highlighted the example of Jigawa State, which has been declared open defecation-free, demonstrating that sub-national units can effectively address the issue.
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Presenting the report on the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign,’ Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, said the campaign aims to eradicate open defecation in Nigeria by 2025.
He noted the campaign’s goal is to mobilize support and resources at both national and sub-national levels and create a mechanism for tracking progress and sharing knowledge.
Utsev warned that open defecation has significant economic, social, and health impacts on the country. He mentioned that a 2016 road map estimated ₦959 billion would be required for constructing toilets at both household and national levels.
However, a review led to the approval of ₦10.4 billion annually for the campaign’s implementation, with 48 million people changing their behavior and 9.4 million toilets to be built across 33 states and the FCT.
The minister solicited support from the Ministries of Finance and Justice for the campaign’s success.