The federal government is taking action to stop the spread of cholera and improve sanitation by ending open defecation by 2025.
Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted this goal during the inauguration of the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” Campaign Steering Committee on Thursday at the State House in Abuja.
Vice President Shettima emphasized the government’s commitment to ending open defecation, stating, “We can achieve this by mobilizing strategic stakeholders and using technology and innovative solutions to improve sanitation.”
He also stressed the importance of hygiene and health for the country’s development and urged the committee to align their efforts with government priorities like poverty reduction, education, and economic growth.
The Vice President mentioned the recent cholera cases as a motivation for the committee to work harder. He directed the committee to “craft solutions to handle wastewater management, contaminated water sources, and open defecation.”
Expressing confidence in the committee, Shettima said, “We are well aware that achieving this objective begins with our collective resolve to embrace behavioral change and cultivate a lifestyle that prioritizes proper sanitation practices, hygiene education, and community engagement.”
He also stressed the need for both public and private sector collaboration, stating, “The public sector cannot succeed in this campaign unless we engage and encourage private sector participation and invite innovative and sustainable solutions.”
The Vice President urged the committee to use technology for real-time monitoring, data collection, and impact assessment. He also emphasized the role of youth and women in driving change. “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,” he said.
The meeting, the fifth since the campaign’s launch in 2019, reviewed progress so far. Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, noted that cholera has affected 33 states, with 2,000 cases and 33 deaths. He mentioned a cabinet committee was formed to address the issue, comprising various ministries.
Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, presented the report on the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign.” He highlighted the campaign’s goal to eradicate open defecation by 2025. He noted that 47 million Nigerians, about 23% of the population, engage in open defecation.
Utsev explained that the campaign aims to mobilize support and resources at national and sub-national levels, create awareness, and track progress. He mentioned that an estimated N959 billion investment is needed for constructing toilets nationwide. “25,000 toilets would be constructed at the rural level and 50,000 toilets would be constructed at the urban level, but as of today things have changed and a review was needed,” he said.
The Minister called for support from the Ministries of Finance and Justice to ensure the campaign’s success.
