Nasarawa: The Federal Government has emphasized that achieving an Open Defecation-Free (ODF) Nigeria hinges significantly on behavioral and attitudinal changes among its citizens, bolstered by community ownership of sanitation practices. Mrs. Elizabeth Ugoh, the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, highlighted these points during the National Training Workshop for ODF Validators held in Nasarawa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ugoh articulated that sanitation is synonymous with dignity, urging citizens not to wait for governmental intervention. She emphasized the preventive health benefits of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and its pivotal role in fostering a productive economy and a healthy workforce. While acknowledging the importance of infrastructure and technology, Ugoh stressed that the success of the ODF campaign relies heavily on communities embracing a mindset change towards sanitation and hygiene.
She further explained that the refresher training for validators is an essential component in strengthening this initiative by ensuring that validators are well-prepared to assist communities and states. Ugoh mentioned that although Nigeria currently boasts 149 ODF Local Government Areas (LGAs), achieving the 2030 target necessitates scaling up efforts. The need for more validators who can be deployed upon request by states was underscored, alongside the necessity for sanitation marketing through a demand-driven approach.
Mrs. Chinyere Okolo, a facilitator at the workshop, also emphasized the critical role of demand creation in attaining sustainable sanitation outcomes. She highlighted the multifaceted benefits of effective demand creation, such as reduced healthcare costs, increased productivity, and enhanced dignity and safety for women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by open defecation.
Furthermore, Mrs. Abasiama Ebreso, another facilitator, provided insights into the protocol for verifying and certifying ODF communities, emphasizing the broader concept of total sanitation. She explained that achieving total sanitation involves more than just ending open defecation; it requires households and public establishments to adopt sustainable hygiene practices consistently.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria introduced its Roadmap to End Open Defecation by 2025 back in 2016, along with the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign, launched in 2019 as its leading initiative. Despite notable progress, challenges persist in areas such as funding, enforcement of sanitation by-laws, and private sector engagement. Development partners like UNICEF, the World Bank, and WaterAid continue to support both federal and state governments through behavior change communication, financing models, and community-led total sanitation interventions.