FG launches initiative to tackle open defecation, Cholera by 2025
By Kunle Sanni
The federal government has announced a comprehensive plan to combat the epidemic of open defecation, aiming to address its root causes and halt the spread of diseases such as cholera.
Vice President Kashim Shettima unveiled the initiative on Thursday during the inauguration of the Steering Committee for the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” Campaign at the Presidential Villa.
In his address, VP Shettima emphasized the administration’s commitment, under President Bola Tinubu, to end open defecation by 2025.
This pledge comes amid growing concerns over the rapid spread of cholera nationwide, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality.
In a statement released by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Shettima highlighted that mobilizing strategic stakeholders, leveraging technology, and deploying innovative, sustainable solutions are crucial to enhancing the nation’s sanitation landscape.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of hygiene and health for national development and wealth, urging the committee to align its efforts with broader government priorities in poverty reduction, education, and economic growth.
He further directed the committee to develop strategies for managing wastewater, addressing contaminated water sources, and eliminating open defecation across Nigeria.
Expressing confidence in the committee’s ability to adopt research-driven approaches, Shettima noted that achieving the campaign’s goals requires a collective commitment to behavioral change and promoting proper sanitation practices, hygiene education, and community engagement.
“The public sector cannot succeed in this campaign unless we engage and encourage private sector participation and invite innovative and sustainable solutions.
“We must utilize technology for real-time monitoring, data collection, and impact assessment, recognizing the pivotal role of youth and women in driving change,” he stressed.
Shettima also tasked the committee with developing solutions to address the impacts of climate change, urbanization, and population growth, emphasizing that members are ambassadors for restoring the health and dignity of the Nigerian people.
The meeting, the fifth since the launch of the Clean Nigeria Campaign in 2019, provided a platform to review progress.
Revealing some health statistics at the event, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, reported that cholera is ravaging 33 states, with 2,000 cases and 33 deaths, noting that open defecation is a significant contributor to the outbreak.
Pate highlighted Jigawa State as a model for combating open defecation, having been declared open defecation-free, and encouraged other regions to follow suit.
Presenting the campaign report, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, detailed both the challenges and successes since the campaign’s inception in 2016.
The initiative he noted, aims to eradicate open defecation by 2025, mobilizing support and resources at national and sub-national levels.
Utsev cited the 2018 Water and Sanitation Hygiene national outcome, revealing that approximately 47 million Nigerians, or 23% of the population, engage in open defecation.
According to him, the campaign seeks to build 75,000 toilets—25,000 in rural areas and 50,000 in urban areas—though a review has been needed due to changing circumstances.
With an estimated N10.4 billion approved annually for the campaign, Utsev reported that significant progress has been made, with 48 million people changing their behavior and 9.4 million toilets built across 33 states and the FCT.
The Minister further called for support from the Ministries of Finance and Justice to ensure the campaign’s success, emphasizing the economic, social, and health impacts of open defecation on the nation’s outlook.
