Government Calls On State Governors To Intensify Campaign Against Open Defecation By 2029

Government Calls On State Governors To Intensify Campaign Against Open Defecation By 2029The Federal Government has called on state governors to ramp up efforts aimed at eliminating open defecation across Nigeria within the next five years.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized the significance of the campaign, stating that each step toward ending open defecation would lead to better health outcomes, increased productivity, and improved dignity and safety for Nigerians. Shettima made the call on Tuesday during the 5th anniversary of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet campaign and the formal launch of the campaign’s new Strategic Plan, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Represented at the event by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Shettima urged state governments to secure “high-level political support” to drive the initiative, particularly at the sub-national level. He highlighted the economic potential within Nigeria’s sanitation sector, noting that the alignment of these opportunities with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s renewed hope agenda could lead to job creation, alternative energy solutions, and the production of biological fertilizers.

The Vice President stressed that the new Strategic Plan for the Clean Nigeria campaign provides a comprehensive and actionable framework to ensure access to sanitation facilities, with the goal of achieving an Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2030. He urged state governors to support the initiative at the state and local government levels, noting that the success of the campaign depends on strong leadership and community involvement.

Shettima also warned of the serious public health risks posed by open defecation, which contaminates water sources, spreads diseases, and undermines quality of life, education, and economic productivity. He noted that inadequate sanitation facilities particularly harm women, girls, and vulnerable communities. The Vice President reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to ending open defecation as part of its broader efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6.2, which aims to achieve universal access to sanitation.

In his remarks, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, highlighted that the anniversary of the Clean Nigeria campaign coincided with World Toilet Day, a UN initiative aimed at accelerating the global drive to eliminate open defecation. The campaign, launched in 2019, has made significant strides, with 135 local government areas (LGAs) achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and over 30,000 communities certified as ODF. However, Prof. Utsev acknowledged that progress has been slower than expected, with the national target date for achieving ODF status set for 2025.

Senator Eze Kenneth Emeka, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources, also praised the federal government’s ongoing efforts to tackle open defecation. He commended the Ministry of Water Resources for sustaining the campaign and reaffirmed the importance of staying focused on the 2025 target.

The anniversary event underscored the need for continued collaboration between federal, state, and local governments, as well as international partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector, to ensure the success of the campaign and eliminate open defecation in Nigeria once and for all.

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