UNICEF to help FCT communities end open defecation

By Stanley Onyekwere

To boost efforts to rid the FCT of open defecation by 2023, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has pledged more supports for FCT communities to achieve the target, ahead of presidential executive order by 2025.

Making the disclosure during a field visit to some communities in Kwali Area Council,  UNICEF Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Nigeria, Dr. Jean Bevan noted that given the level of commitments and progress made in the FCT, the UN Agency will soon extend its intervention to public institutions by constructing toilets in schools and hospitals. 

 Bevan, while on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Kwali Area Council said the inspection team led by FCT RUWASSA were in Kwali to see how sanitary facilities were working in communities, markets and motor parks,  also urged the Council’s leadership to help them to utilize the opportunities available in sanitation sector.

the WASH Chief, who was in company of WHO and UNICEF officials from New York and Dakar as well as LIXIL,  manufacturers of sato pans, reiterated the imperative of encouraging local communities achieve basic sanitation ahead of the World Toilet Summit scheduled to hold in Abuja, November this year. 

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Executive Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Mr. Danladi Chiya, thanked UNICEF and other international agencies under the guidance of Federal Ministry of Water Resources for choosing Kwali as one of the areas of their operations, and affirmed that Kwali is determined to join rest of the world to become free of open defecation.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Executive Director of FCT RUWASSA, Dr. Mohammed Ali Dan-Hassan stated that the agency is appreciative of the council management, field officers and youths of Kwali for their zeal and commitment to the campaign, that is why, he said, “Kwali is so important to us”.

Dr. Dan-Hassan further disclosed that RUWASSA is ready to support the WASH Units of our Area Councils with motorcycles to enhance their outreach capacity and called on Area Councils to provide subsidies on sato pans to make them more affordable to the locals. 

He also urged the leadership to keep setting the pace by showing more examples. In his words “let’s look at how the international community takes this with seriousness, people far away from 

us were the ones championing this campaign for access to water and sanitation”.

At Tudun Fulani ward, the team was amazed at the high level of compliance and cooperation from the community as almost every household was found to be using improved latrines with clean and neat environments. 

Addressing the community after the inspection, the Chief of WASH, Dr. Bevan described what she saw as fantastic job and commend their efforts for overcoming their challenges, and averred that “we are looking forward to see when Kwali would be declared open defecation free. 

On her part, a Senior WASH Adviser of UNICEF in New York, Mrs. Ann Thomas commend the community for the progress made and stressed the need for everyone in the community to contribute towards making the locality free of open defecation. 

She also urged them to stick to the hand washing practice  especially among the children to build a healthy society, adding that UNICEF was into community engagements to achieve the universal goals in sanitation. 

Not left out,the traditional ruler of Kwali, the Etsu of Kwali, Alh. Sha’aban Nzazo, appreciated what what UNICEF and other agencies were doing in the area and assured his readiness to give every support to attained ODF. 

He however called on authorities employ carrots and stick measures for a full impacts by rewards and punishments accordingly. This, he said, could be done through monitoring committees in the Area councils.