BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The United Nations Children Fund has charged the Federal, State Governments and concerned stakeholders to eradicate open defecation in the country as more Nigerians continue to defecate inside bush, canal and other public places.
According to a report of the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics which was published in 2022, 23 per cent of the nation, which represents about 48 million Nigerians are engaging in open defecation.
With Nigeria overtaking India as world capital for open defecation, the international agency said it would continue to partner with state governments to minimise the menace.
UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene specialist, Monday Johnson said this at a two-day media dialogue on “Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free in South West states of Nigeria” on Wednesday in Ibadan.
The programme was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation.
The workshop, with the theme: “Eliminating Open Defecation in Nigeria,” was attended by selected journalists in the region and officials of WASH and Oyo State Rural, Water Supply and Sanitation Agency.
Johnson, who noted that Nigeria overtook India in 2019 in open defecation practices, said Nigeria is now in number one position in open defecation practice globally.
According to him, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASH-NORM), 2021 report revealed that more than 48 million Nigerians practice open defecation.
Johnson said that Nigeria could not continue the usual practice of open defecation, if it was ready to meet the National deadline of 2025 open defecation free society.
According to him, for the country to reach its target of open defecation free society, there is need for increase investments and targeted funding for sanitation and hygiene.
“The overall vision of UNICEF Nigeria water, Sanitation and Hygiene programme is to support the federal government.
“To ensure that by 2027, move Nigerians, especially those in vulnerable negotiation realise their right to safely managed drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services through improved access to affordable, sustainable and safely managed sanitation and hygiene services,” he said.
In the presentation of Johnson, it was revealed that Oyo is the worse state in open defecation practice in South West.
Reacting, Dotun Oyelade, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said the state was working towards ending open defecation by 2028.
Oyelade said that before the end of 2028, there would be improvement in the menace of open defecation in the state.
He said the state government was always ready to cooperate with UNICEF in all areas that is affecting the general well being of the society.
Oyelade, who noted that the state government was ready to partner UNICEF in ending open defecation in the state and Nigeria at large, said it was sad that Nigeria had overtaken India in open defecation practice.
“It is very sad that Nigeria is now number one open defecation country globally.
“Oyo state in the next few years, will ensure there is a significant improvement in the menace of open defecation.
“We are very happy and encouraged by that UNICEF is in collaborating with Oyo state on ending open defecation,” he said.
