Shettima urges governors to end open defecation

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged state governors to intensify efforts to eliminate open defecation within the next five years.

Speaking on Tuesday at the 5th anniversary of the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign and the launch of the Revised Strategic Plan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Shettima emphasized the importance of political will in addressing the issue. 

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, he encouraged state governments to mobilize strong political support to drive the campaign at the sub-national level.

“The new Strategic Plan for the Clean Nigeria Campaign provides a comprehensive, actionable framework to ensure access to toilets by 2030.

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“I urge State Governors to support the campaign at state and local government levels to achieve our goal of an Open Defecation Free Nigeria within five years,” Shettima said.

He warned of the dangers associated with open defecation, describing it as a critical public health and environmental challenge that contaminates water sources, spreads diseases, and undermines the quality of life, education, and economic productivity.

FG declares 2 Borno LGAs open defecation free 

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has declared two local government areas of Biu and Shani in Borno State free of open defecation.

Deputy Director of Rural Sanitation in the ministry, Mr Ajose Adeyemi, made the declaration during the flag-off campaign for open defecation in Borno State on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the campaign, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, pledged his administration’s commitment to eliminating open defecation practices despite challenges faced in the state. 

Zulum, represented by his deputy, Umar Usman Kadafur, underlined his administration’s effort to improve Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across the state. 

He called for the use of clean public toilets in markets, motor parks, and other public places to meet global sanitation targets in the state.