Lagos urges private sector collaboration towards achieving a Nigeria free from open defecation by 20
The Lagos State Government emphasizes the importance of partnership between the private sector and the community in addressing the challenge of open defecation throughout the state. Their objective is to achieve a Nigeria free of open defecation by 2025.
Omolaji Gaji, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of The Environment and Water Resources, made this plea during the official launch and awareness campaign of the "Clean Nigeria, Use Toilet Campaign" in Apapa Local Government, which took place on Tuesday.
The Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign is a proactive initiative with the goal of eradicating open defecation in Nigeria by the year 2025.
The Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign is spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and receives support from UNICEF and various local and international partners. Its primary objective is to promote the widespread use of toilets and encourage good hygiene practices in every community across Nigeria.
In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari declared a state of emergency on Open Defecation and enacted Executive Order 009 titled "The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019."
Nigeria was previously ranked as the second country with the highest number of people engaging in open defecation.
To accomplish this ambitious goal, the Federal Government established a national secretariat to oversee the campaign's implementation across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
During the event, Gaji, represented by the ministry's Director, Babajide Adeoye, emphasized the importance of collaboration with the private sector and industries. He called for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to complement government efforts in reducing the prevalence of open defecation in the state.
Meanwhile, the state government commenced the campaign in the state on World Toilet Day (WTD) in the year 2020, aiming to extend the campaign to all Local Government Areas/Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
Furthermore, on November 19, 2022, during the commemoration of WTD, the state government initiated the campaign in three councils representing the three Senatorial Districts in the State: Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikorodu, and Lagos Island LGAs.
Gaji emphasized that the state government's commitment to eradicating open defecation aligns with Goal 2 of the Lagos Resilience Strategy Document, specifically Pillar 1. This pillar focuses on "improving access to clean water and sanitation" through four key initiatives:
Providing public toilets and bathrooms in each local government and local council development area.
Constructing community wastewater treatment plants.
Developing an integrated waste management system.
Expanding and safeguarding water sources to enhance the city's water supply.
It is crucial to note that raising awareness and conducting sensitization campaigns are vital tools in achieving an Open Defecation Free Lagos. Therefore, the campaign must prioritize the involvement of the community and relevant stakeholders, particularly in vulnerable and underserved areas.
"It is important to acknowledge that despite the successes of this campaign, it has encountered various challenges, including a lack of budgetary allocation and insufficient political will.
Therefore, it is crucial to garner political support from Local Governments, corporate entities, communities, and commercial organizations to endorse and disseminate this policy among the people, who are the direct beneficiaries.
Considering the significance of this campaign for our national development and the goal of eliminating open defecation by 2025, I strongly believe that this campaign, along with other initiatives of the present administration, will contribute to the success of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector," he stated.
Adejumoke Senbanjo, the Chairman of Apapa Council, added in his speech that the campaign's objective is to eradicate open defecation within Apapa council and throughout Lagos state. Indiscriminate defecation by residents has become a major environmental issue.
Senbanjo emphasized the need for collective effort in combating this problem, stating that the government cannot achieve it alone.
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