The Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, Mr Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, made this known during the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day themed: “Toilet —A place for peace.”

Represented by the Officer-in-Charge, and Senior Education Manager, UNICEF, Mr. Michael Banda, said the occasion was a moment to appreciate and celebrate the Kano State Government and its partners’ collective efforts to end open defecation in the state.

“UNICEF congratulates the Government and people of Kano State on achieving open defecation free status for eight of its LGAs in 2024. This has brought to 26, the total number of LGAs in Kano State that have ended open defecation. UNICEF is pleased to have partnered with the Kano State Government to achieve this milestone.

“This is a momentous achievement, but the job is not done just yet. Kano State Government, LGAs, communities and all stakeholders must sustain the momentum to ensure that the remaining 18 LGAs that have yet to eradicate open defecation take urgent action to do so, and thereby contribute to the goal of making Kano State and indeed Nigeria open defecation free by 2025.

“Kano has made progress with the construction and use of toilets in the eight LGAs which we are celebrating today. However, the remaining 18 LGAs yet to end open defecation include the bulk of urban LGAs in Kano, and we need to act and do more to get these LGAs to achieve this lofty goal as well.

“UNICEF appreciates the Kano state Government for organizing this special event to honour the eight LGAs that have eliminated open defecation and urges your Excellency to sustain commitment until all the LGAs in Kano state become open defecation free. With the support of your Excellency, Kano Dtate can achieve this goal in 2025.

“According to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping Report 2021 (WASHNORM 2021), only 2% of people in the state still practice open defecation, this looks small but when juxtaposed against the population of Kano, it becomes large. Therefore, concerted efforts with genuine commitments need to be put in place to address this problem.”

He added that achievements in sanitation are not limited to Sustainable Development Goal 6 but have far-reaching results in all other goals and most especially SDGs 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 which can be achieved through the implementation of Community Approaches to Total Sanitation Concept which not only promotes inclusiveness, equality and active participation across all community segments but also promotes gender mainstreaming, empowerment, and skills for decision making in community issues.