Despite that the National Council on Water Resources at its 2014 meeting prioritised the development of a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country by 2025, Kwara State has set 2030 as its target year to end open defecation, writes ADEKUNLE JIMOH of The Nation

MINDFUL of the inherent health hazards and the public health risks associated with open defecation, the National Council on Water Resources at the 2014 council meeting was prompted to prioritise the development of a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country, in line with the United Nations global campaign for ending open defecation. It was tagged “Making Nigeria Open Defecation-Free by 2025.”

With the set date, one would have thought that all states and, indeed, all stakeholders would have resolved to key into ensuring that the target of ending open defecation by 2025 became a reality.

Regrettably, some critical stakeholders are not giving the issue the attention it deserved in terms of eradication.

Though Kwara State is yet to put an end to the menace, it has put machinery in motion toward making the state open defecation-free in the next 10 years. The state government has set 2030 as its target year of ending open defecation.

According to some report, the state is one of the three states at the bottom with regard to having access to sanitation services and among the states with highest prevalence of open defecation and the poorest in North Central.

A study on public toilets and services at car parks in the state has also revealed that 95 per cent of the toilets are dry pit while just five per cent of them are pour-flush system.

The situation is grimmer with the health care facilities and hospitals because it was discovered that up to 90 per cent of them lacked improved water supply with no hand washing facility, according to the report.

But the state government is poised to reverse this unsavoury categorisation with the recent launch of its “Clean Kwara campaign’ in Ilorin, the state capital to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Accordingly, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq inaugurated the “Clean Kwara” Campaign as part of his administration’s commitment to end open defecation and promote good hygiene in the state.

He said: “This inauguration coincides with the 5th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A key part of the SDGs, which is Goal six, is general access to safe and affordable drinking water and access to adequate and equitable sanitation, hygiene for all, and ending open defecation by 2030.

“Just like in many areas of human capital development indices, we met a state with appalling ratings in SDGs, including Goals 6:1 and 2 mentioned above.

“For instance, a national survey published in 2018 ranked Kwara State 30th among the 36 states of the federation in access to basic water and sanitation services. We were ranked 22nd in terms of access to basic water supply services.”

AbdulRazaq said inadequate access to quality water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services could negatively impact health, in addition to having huge socio-economic consequences on any society. He encouraged authorities at the local government level to also commit to these protocols.

“We met this huge gap when we assumed office and that explains why we prioritised provision of water. That has led to the rehabilitation of several water works that collapsed long ago. Currently, we have made considerable progress,” he said, even as he called for partnership with the Federal Government and various development bodies to support the state.

Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu identified Kwara State as one of the states with highest number of open defecation practice in Nigeria; which was put at 64 per cent while only 14 per cent of the population has access to basic sanitation services.

“This underlines the critical WASH situation in Kwara State. I am delighted to be part of this groundbreaking event of Clean Kwara Campaign aimed at mobilising actions against open defecation and commemorate the beginning of a decade of actions of the SDGs. Water and sanitation for all is of interest and the entire SDGs target as water is life and sanitation is dignity.

“Today’s event is a clear demonstration of the commitment needed to reverse the unpleasant situation. Kwara State is now listed among the first states to launch the state advocacy for clean and green campaign as advocated during the national launch of the campaign by the Vice-President in November, 2019. The clean and green campaign was aimed at mobilising high level political support and resources of the entire populace toward building a new culture of sanitation,” he said.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who was represented by Ify Nnamchi-Ukaegbu, revealed that the current statistics by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Emergency Fund (UNICEF’s) joint monitoring report shows that one in every four

She said: “I am confident that with the inauguration ceremony, Kwara State government is on the right track towards the attainment of SDG-6. I, therefore, commend your tireless efforts and commitment at ensuring that clean water and sanitation are accessed the people of Kwara State on or before 2030. My office will continue to support sub-national governments in ensuring the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria.

“It is exactly five years since President Muhammadu Buhari joined the world leaders to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 17 SDGs (169 targets and 230 key performance indicators), envision a present and a future that are economically sustainable, socially inclusive and environmentally resilient with the principle of “leave no one behind.”

National Coordinator, Organised Pivate Sector on Water, Sanitation (OPS-WASH) Nicolas Igwe said Nigeria, with its huge population, has a daunting task of ending open defecation.

He, therefore, hailed some state governments that are taking up the challenge of tackling the problem in a concise manner.

Igwe commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his admirable qualities and dedication to water and sanitation sector.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Hajia Fatimah Lawal noted that the government prioritised provision of water which led to the rehabilitation of several water works that had long collapsed across the state.

She said: “I am pleased to participate in such inauguration occasions, having been present at the Ekiti State’s end of open defecation by 2022 roadmap inauguration, earlier in the year.

“I consider such inaugurations to be the catalyst for improvement in the sector, based on the fact that they are expressions of political will at the highest levels, which we cannot do without.

“Based on this, I announce that OPS-WASH will now primarily form partnerships with states that have declared or inaugurated a roadmap to end open defecation or improve their water and sanitation conditions.

“I am happy to inform you that Kwara State has now joined the list of states that qualify for this private sector partnership. Such states will be directly privy to the number of projects or engagements under OPS-WASH.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, said her office had identified key areas of partnership in agriculture, water supply, clean energy, education to create SDGs community and end open defecation in the state.

Bio-Ibrahim urged residents of Kwara State to own and protect the campaign to end open defecation.

“The open defecation and WASH campaign, in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources is our first intervention because it is a low hanging-fruit in the development of our state and it has multiplier effects on the health, well-being and socio-economic development of our people.

“We also believe that this will make immediate and important impact on the COVID-19 era as adequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities are needed to curb the Coronavirus,” she said.

The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ketil Karlsen and UNICEF representative thanked the Kwara State government for its political commitment to end open defecation.