BY OCHE OBANDE

ABUJA – THE Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Sector as a crucial initiative for safeguarding the health, dignity, and well-being of Nigerians.
The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, gave this indication during his keynote address at the Heads of State Initiative event during the World Water Week tagged “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future” in Stockholm, Sweden on 26th August 2024.
A statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Funmi Imuetinyan, said the event, which focuses on advancing global efforts in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), provided a platform for Nigeria to share its progress and ongoing commitment to improving WASH standards nationwide.
In his remarks, the Minister emphasized Nigeria’s efforts in prioritizing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene at the highest political level, referencing the Presidential Executive Order No. 9, issued in 2019, which launched the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign aimed at ending open defecation by 2025.
Goronyo noted that the campaign is a crucial initiative for safeguarding the health, dignity, and well-being of Nigerians, particularly in rural areas where access to sanitation facilities remains limited.
“Open defecation poses significant health risks, including the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid fever,” the Minister of State stated.
The Minister of State detailed the strategic pillars of the Clean Nigeria campaign, which include increasing access to sanitation facilities, promoting hygiene practices, and engaging communities in behavior change and also stressed the importance of collaboration with stakeholders, including state governments, local authorities, civil society organizations, and international partners, which has led to significant progress.
According to the statement, Goronyo said that to date, one state and 126 Local Government Areas have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).
The Minister stressed that “the Federal Government, under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has continued to show commitment to achieving SDG 6.1 and 6.2 targets for WASH with the Steering Committee for the Campaign to end Open Defecation in Nigeria being chaired by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.”
He highlighted several key initiatives, including the declaration of a State of Emergency in the WASH sector, the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Revitalization of the Sector, and the launch of the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Sanitation & Hygiene (SURWASH) program, the Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme, the launch of the National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) survey to monitor progress on the achievement of the SDGs among others.
According to him, “A Presidential Compact is a transformative endeavour that requires unwavering commitment and strategic leadership. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of a healthier and more equitable future for all,”.
He expressed optimism that all countries and partners will remain steadfast in the pursuit of a healthier and more equitable future for all.
Goronyo also expressed appreciation to the partners spearheading the Heads of State Initiative, including the Sanitation and Water for All partnership, UNICEF, IRC WASH, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
He encouraged continued collaboration and commitment to building a healthier and more equitable future through strong leadership and strategic planning.