25% of North-West Population Have Access To Sanitation– UNICEF

Ismail Adebayo in Birnin Kebbi

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that only 25 percent of those living in Northwest Nigeria have access to sanitation, with about 38 percent having access to good hygiene.

Mr. Maulid Warfa, the UNICEF Chief Field Officer, Kano, and Sokoto made the disclosure during a one-day program to commemorate 2021 World Toilets Day held in Sokoto in collaboration with state governments of Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara with the theme “Valuing Toilets.”

He said the development was very unfortunate but RUWASA in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara are currently doing great work. “But we are not there yet, until every community, every local government area and every state is open defecation-free. If we fix sanitation and hygiene, we will be able to solve at least 60 to 70 percent of public health issues", he said.

He warned that defecation, poor hygiene, and poor sanitation are the causes of a lot of water-born and diarrhea diseases that children suffer from. "Children suffering from diarrhea become malnourished, when they became malnourished they grow as malnourished, their cognitive ability is affected.

“Once their cognitive ability is affected, their ability to become productive and contributors to the country’s economic growth is also severely affected,” he said.

Mr. Warfa explained that if open defecation and poor hygiene were adequately addressed, incidences of cholera, polio, diarrhea and environmental diseases would have been addressed. He enjoined all stakeholders, including religious, political, and community leaders to collaborate towards achieving the target of Nigeria of open defecation free by 2025.

The chief field officer called on journalists to rise up to the challenges of addressing the difficulties faced by communities for the good of all Nigerians.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Kebbi State, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, said the ministry was always happy to partner with UNICEF on anything that would improve the living standard of the people.

He said since the commencement of the campaign against open-defecation by President Muhammadu Buhari, Kebbi State Government has been collaborating with UNICEF to construct toilet facilities in most public schools noting that Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had so far constructed over 100 toilet facilities in both primary and secondary schools.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Hayatu Bawa, said the ministry was currently in partnership with an organization funded by USAID to provide wash facilities in three LGAs of the state to improve sanitation. He stated that the LGAs to benefit from the gesture include: Kalgo, Argungu, and Dandi.