By Patricia Amogu
The FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), has commenced a four-day certification exercise in 67 communities and wards towards achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
The exercise, supported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is part of efforts to achieve Nigeria’s 2030 target of ending open defecation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the revised Clean Nigeria Campaign strategy targets all 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) attaining ODF status by 2030.
The certification exercise involves inspecting toilet facilities and basic hygiene materials in households, healthcare centres, schools, markets and public toilet facilities in selected wards of Kwali Area Council.
Mr Hussaini Abdulkadir, Deputy Director, RUWASSA, said the FCT had made significant progress in the drive to end open defecation.
Abdulkadir, who spoke during the opening of the exercise, said 171 communities across the 10 wards of Kwali Area Council had already been certified ODF.
He urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to ensure the successful certification of additional communities in the FCT.
He charged members of the task group to support households in understanding and participating effectively in hygiene and sanitation activities, while encouraging communities to take responsibility for maintaining safe and hygienic environments.
“Following the one-day orientation workshop for task group members organised by RUWASSA, we urge task group members to intensify efforts by using the Simple, Immediate, Doable Action (SIDA) approach to achieving behavioural improvement outcomes among households,” he said.
Abdulkadir said communities that achieved certification would undergo another round of final assessment, known as validation, by the National Task Group on Sanitation.
NAN reports that the certification exercise is being conducted in line with established Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) guidelines. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
Edited by Tosin Kolade