The United Nation Children Endowment Fund, UNICEF said plan by the Nigerian authority to end open defecation by year 2025 might not be possible. The organisation said it would take Nigeria until 2046 before it could end the said target if it follow the roadmap strictly. The UNICEF Water Sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist at its Zonal office in Lagos, Monday Johnson disclosed this in Ibadan yesterday during the agency 2-days program on media dialogue with the southwest journalist in the country.
The theme of the dialogue was tagged ‘Eliminating Open Defecation in Nigeria’ organised by the UNICEF in collaboration with the Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation.
Quoting statistics data obtained from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the UNICEF specialist disclosed that about 48million Nigerians still defecate openly.
He noted that only Jigawa State has attained open defecation free status in Nigeria, while 105 local govts. out of 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria have been certified free in the country.
He explained that going by the current statistics, Nigeria cannot be open defecation free as the nation still occupies the top rank among countries with the most number of the people practicing open defecation across Africa.
While responding to questions, the UNICEF specialist said, “The answer to this is no. From what we have from the entire country, it’s projected that if we go at the current pace, we will only be able to achieve open defecation free Nigeria by 2046. It therefore means Nigeria will continue to eat their shit for all this period which is not healthy. It’s also means that we are not going to meet the SDGs target at all.
He explained that “ it’s pertinent that all states in the federation should start to implement programme that’s aimed at increasing sanitation access, improving hygiene practices that will actually culminate into nutritional outcome, health outcome, education outcome even reduction of poverty in the country.”
Although he noted that his office is liaising with the federal government to end the practice by year 2028 calling on journalist to double their effort in educating the populace on dangers associated with the practice of open defecation.
The representative of the state government, state commissioner for information, prince Dotun Oyelade in his contribution said, the state government has given go ahead to prosecute those involving in the practice.
He laments that the thing is a challenge but expressed optimism with the way the government if taking the matter.
Meanwhile, he applauded the UNICEF for its collaboration in addressing open defecation and other health challenges in the state.
“For us in Oyo State, before this administration ends in 2027, we will ensure that there’s a marked improvement in this regard.
He added “We are encouraged by the collaboration of the UNICEF to tackle open defecation and other diseases plaguing human kind are reduced to barest minimum”.
