By Sunday Etuka, Abuja
The Federal Government has affirmed its willingness to strengthen collaboration towards ending open defecation in the country by year 2025.
Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Rt. Hon. Muhammad Goronyo, Esq. gave the assurance when the Senior Special Asistants to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagements, Abdullahi Tanko Yakassai (North-West), Abiodun Essiet (North-Central), Moremi Ojodu (North -West) and Gift John Bull (South-South) respectively paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
In a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations Unit of the Ministry, Funmi Imuetinyan on Wednesday, the Minister pledged to work in collaboration with the Senior Special Assistants in ensuring that the ‘Clean Nigeria; Use the toilet campaign’ penetrates all the hinterlands communities of the 774 LGAs of the Country.
While acknowledging the track records of service and unflinching commitments of the SSAs to their people at the grassroots as well as their vibrancy, passion, intelligence and deep knowledge of community related works, Hon. Goronyo pledged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation strong alliance with the group not only on the Campaign for Open Defecation Free (ODF) across all the communities of the 774 LGAs but also in Water, Sanitation & Hygiene programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“I want to commend Mr. President for appointing you to serve in this capacity. I know it’s a herculean task, but with your track records, it’s a well-deserved appointment. I know your pedigrees. Most of you who worked in the Presidential Campaign Council, I know your capacities and I know you can deliver”, he said.
He informed the group that he and his colleague, the Honourable Minister, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev have been visiting the length and breath of the 36 States in the Country to carry the Campaign to the Governors and other Stakeholders in the sector in order to seek their bye-in of ending open defecation by 2025 in line with executive order 9, including assessing the situation of other Ministry’s programmes, such as PEAWASH, SURWASH and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programmes in their states, also to seek area of possible collaborations with them.
Goronyo emphasized the consequences of lack of proper access to good portable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene which underscore monumental loss in our GDP and causes various diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and typhoid in our Communities.
The Honourable Minister of State expressed deep appreciation for the visit and urged the SSAs not to relent in their shared determination of ensuring the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR Administration, noting that posterity will find them well in their various endeavors of ensuring a better and greater Nigeria for all.
He said “We will continue to partner with you. Our dream is the success of his Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a true Leader, a Grassroot Politician, a Mobilizer and someone that is ever ready to deliver on mandate”. “I have no doubt in my mind that you are picked for the job, and you can do it”.
The Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation of the Ministry, Mrs. Elizabeth Ugoh speaking in the same vein recalled how the then Vice President Prof. Osinbajo launched the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign’ in 2019 and since the launch, the Ministry has been up and doing on the Campaign.
She noted that most of the states have keyed into the campaign but regretted that the Ministry in recent time has been faced with paucity of funds to push the Campaign as desired. She stressed that till date it’s only 122 LGAs of the 774 has been declared open defecation free. She appealed for proper funding of the ODF programme in order to meet the target year 2025 of making Nigeria open defecation free.
Speaking earlier and on behalf of the SSAs to the President on Community Engagements, the leader of the group and SSA North-West Community Engagement, Abdullahi Tanko Yakassai pledges their unwaivering determination to partner the Ministry on ODF and other Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programmes of the Ministry.
Abdullahi Tanko Yakassai and colleagues assures the Ministry of leveraging on their expertise, connections and relationships they had build with other Stakeholders across the country to carry the Campaign to a logical conclusion.
