Jigawa Government says it has spent N160 million on sensitisation activities to promote behavioural change to curb open defecation in the state.
Mr Labaran Adamu, Managing Director, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Dutse.
Adamu said the amount was expended in 2021, to mobilise and encourage change in community perceptions regarding use of latrines, especially in households without access to latrines.
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The managing director spoke on the background of the government drive to become the first state to be certified Open Defecation Free (ODF) in the country.
“As you are aware, Jigawa has been involved in the efforts to prohibit open defecation throughout the state.
“Over N160 million have been committed to the war against open defecation in the state.
“The amount was spent on consultants who are experts in mobilising local communities to make sure that all households have constructed a latrine with cover and hand washing facilities.
“A contract has been awarded to supply latrine’s cover and hand washing facilities in all the households in our rural communities,” he said.
Adamu said it was not an easy task for the agency and others to successfully convinced the rural dwellers to embrace the practice of using latrine in their homes.
“You know one thing with the behavioural change is a difficult task.
“In one of the communities, somebody stood up and told you that since I got married about 50 years ago I have never used latrine, all my wives, children and grandchildren are going to the bush to defecate.
“So even if we have been achieving success in that respect, we are suggesting to local government authorities to enact bylaws with penalty to discourage people from defecating in the open.
“Most of the local councils have enacted bylaws, however, enforcement is the problem, as they are reluctant about it.
“If the local councils are enforcing the law, this bad attitude of open defecation in rural communities will be address,” he said.
According to him, the state government is working on a bill to enforce compliance with the law against open defecation.
Adamu said that 18 of the 27 LGAs had achieved ODF status, adding that proactive measures were necessary to ensure total eradication of the menace.
He lauded Gov. Badaru Abubakar’s commitment towards addressing open defecation problem in the state.
“The target is to see that Jigawa becomes the first state to be declared ODF.
“In this regard, we have 18 LGA that have been certified ODF by the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS).
“NTGS is an independent body assigned with the responsibility by the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, to certify and declare any local government that has achieved the ODF status,”
He listed the councils to include Birnin Kudu; Buji, Roni, Gwiwa, Kiyawa, Gagarawa, Dutse, Sule-Tankarkar, Kafin Hausa, Auyo and Birniwa.
Others were Jahun; Taura, Guri, Hadejia, Malam-Madori, Kirikasama and Ringim.
The managing director said that four other local councils including Gumel, Maigatari, Babura and Kazaure were being verified by the NTGS, adding that it envisaged to achieve ODF status by June 2022.
He said that the NTGS was also expected to conclude its verification exercise before the end of the year in Miga, Yan Kwashi, Gwaram and Garki LGAs.
According to statistics of the Federal Ministery of Water Resources about 46 million Nigerians lack access to latrines and toilets.
It showed that the country needed to achieve ODF status in 143 LGAs per annum to meet the 2025 target, and 72 LGAs per annum to end open defecation by 2030. (NAN)
