By Fatima Saka
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to eradicating open defecation in Nigeria, emphasizing that the achievements in Jigawa State will serve as a model for the entire country.
Addressing the Senate Committee during an interactive session, Prof. Utsev disclosed that the Ministry is currently implementing the ‘Clean Up Nigeria and Use the Toilet’ campaign, designed to eliminate open defecation practices across the nation.
Providing an overview of the Ministry’s operations and its core mandate, the Minister highlighted Jigawa as the sole state in Nigeria that has achieved open defecation-free status.
He underscored the detrimental impact of open defecation on public health, citing the correlation with waterborne diseases like Cholera, and assured the Committee of the Ministry’s plans to construct additional sanitation facilities nationwide.
Prof. Utsev noted that under his leadership, the number of local government areas free from open defecation has risen from 102 to 123.
He emphasized the ongoing sanitation campaign and the Ministry’s advocacy efforts to collaborate with state and local governments towards achieving a nationwide end to open defecation.
While acknowledging the progress made, the Minister highlighted inadequate funding as a primary challenge hindering the Ministry’s initiatives.
He expressed optimism in securing additional financial support from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning for the construction of sanitation facilities nationwide.
During the Committee session, concerns were raised regarding the effectiveness of the campaign, with doubts cast on using Jigawa State as a benchmark due to its smaller population compared to major urban centers like Lagos and Kano.
Committee members emphasized the need to assess the impact of the campaign in densely populated areas to gauge its success accurately.
In conclusion, the Minister provided an update on the utilization of the 2023 budget, indicating that 75% of the allocation has been expended, while awaiting releases for the current fiscal year.
Commendable the capacity minister