Sanitation, Hygiene, Everybody’s Business, Says Water Minister

Sanitation, Hygiene, Everybody’s Business, Says Water
Minister
The Minister, Federal Ministry of Water Resources Engr. Suleiman H.
Adamu FNSE, FAEng has said that Sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria
should be everybody’s business.

The Minister said this yesterday in Abuja when he paid a
courtesy visit to Minister of FCT Mallam Mohammed Bello as part of
the robust National Action Plan to secure the buy – in of all
stakeholders including state governors which is hinged on
goveranance, sustainability, sanitation, funding monitoring and
evaluation.

In his address during the visit, Engr. Adamu reiterated the
approval by the Federal Executive Council to carry out a “Clean
Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign” with roles and responsibilities
assigned to states and FCT, which includes in part developing and
implementing a National campaign/transformational sanitation
promotion agenda to end Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025. The
Minister however, appealed to the FCT Minister to “declare State of
Emergency with clear communication of state – specific plans,
create the required enabling environment and build sector
capacities and ensure establishment of a regulatory mechanism for
the local monitoring of WASH activities and subsequent reporting to
Area Councils”.

In addition, Engr. Suleiman Adamu requested that the FCT
administration should commit to investing a minimum of three times
the current WASH investment level and improve revenue collection to
ensure that institutions pay tariffs owed for Water supply and
sanitation services.

He also opined that FCT Government should key into programmes
and initiatives of the Water Ministry, participate in programmes
such Global Handwashing Day Commemoration and World Water Week
which the Ministry recently participated in, in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Minister further urged the FCT Administration to mobilize Civil
Society Organizations to develop an effective policy, and to
legislate against Open Defecation and reckless urination practices
as Nasarawa State had done.

Adamu stressed that with dedicated effort, Nigeria would be able
to reduce the high statistics of being the country with the highest
number of people practicing open defecation as India which is 99.9%
ODF exists the first position in the world of those practicing open
defecation.

FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello while commending the Water
Minister for his re – appointment and his giant strides in the
Water Ministry noted that his Ministry had been partnering with
Federal Ministry of Water Resources. Malam Bello equally noted that
FCTA has keyed into this sanitation agenda and has gone ahead to
identify locations in the FCT for the establishment of toilets
powered by solar energy in partnership with the Private Sector.
The FCT Minister also informed that the FCT Minister, Malam
Mohammed Bello would coordinate the sanitation programmes and
collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on the
sanitation agenda.

In attendance at the advocacy visit were the Minister of State
FCT, the Permanent Secretary, FCT Administration, some Directors
and members of staff of Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

Kenechukwu Offie (Mrs.)

Director (Information Department)