Day FCT RUWASSA, UNICEF marked 2024 World Toilet Day at Kwali

•171 communities certified ODF

By Stanley Onyekwere

The fight against open defecation received a boost when the FCT RUWASSA, in collaboration with UNICEF marked the 2024 World Toilet Day with the theme: “Toilet a place for peace”, across all ten wards of the District Heads Palace in Kwali Area Council, Abuja.
Also, during the event it was revealed that 171 communities in the the council had been certified Open Defecation Free (ODF) by the FCT Task Group on Sanitation.
Recall that the Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 to address global sanitation crisis.
Speaking during the occasion, the overseeing Director, FCT RUWASSA, Mr. Luke Ifop Ulom noted that the theme of this year’s World Toilet Day, is centred around raising awareness on the importance of sanitation and hygiene.
He therefore called on the people of FCT to change their behaviours towards eradicating open defecation in their communities, by constructing and using a toilet.
Similarly, HOD Sanitation Department, FCT RUWASSA, Mrs. Aisha Bakpet, who noted that behavioural change starts from within, commended the people of Kwali Area Council for adhering to the sensitization campaigns that have been ongoing in the Council for 2 years.
She revealed the ODF status of 171 communities in Kwali, added that more communities are still expected to be certified based on the National ODF protocol.
According to her, Kwali Area Council is the first council with such number of ODF communities in FCT.
She also expressed optimism that by 2025, the entire Area Council will be validated by National Task Group on sanitation.
In the bid to end open defecation in Kwali, she explained that across the 10 wards, ward officers and youths have been empowered as Toilet Business Owners to construct toilets in their wards and also sensitize their community members on danger of open defecation especially with the cholera out break in FCT which is as a result of open defecation.
She thanked UNICEF for supporting FCT to attain this achievement, saying the programme will be replicated in all the other area councils.
On his part, the UNICEF Consultant, who represented the Chief Of WASH, Mr. Sakiru Otusonya, while commending the people of Kwali, also urged them to embrace the change, continue to use their toilets and practice effective hand washing with soap and running water.
Not left out, the Head of Admin Kwali Area Council, Mr. Daniel Elisha, who represented the Chairman of the Council, also appreciated UNICEF and RUWASSA for bringing the programme to Kwali.
He assured that the sensitization in the Council will not stop after the programme, but will be intensified, in order to cutb diseases and open defecation menace
It was gathered that out of the 171 communities in ten wards across the Area Councils that were recognised as open defecation free, three Wards of Gumbo, Pai, and Kwali Central have the highest number of ODF communities.
Also, each ODF communities were given a certificate at the District head palace, with a promise to adhere to the promise, by keeping their environments sanitary.