On Thursday, Minister of State for Environment, Izhaq Adekunle Saleko, revealed that despite the 2025 deadline to eradicate open defecation, 48 million Nigerians, constituting 23 percent of the population, still practice it.
Additionally, 159 million Nigerians lack access to handwashing facilities.
Speaking before the House of Representatives Committee on Environment in Abuja, Saleko emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue.
He noted the necessity for the construction of one million public toilets across the country by the Federal Government, highlighting that only five thousand have been provided thus far.
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Saleko outlined various measures taken by the Ministry to combat open defecation, including the development of the National Environmental Sanitation Policy and guidelines for sewage and excreta management.
Additionally, sanitation desks have been established in the Ministries of Environment in all 36 states and the FCT to oversee environmental sanitation at community and household levels.
To raise awareness, Saleko proposed the commemoration of the National Environmental Sanitation Day on June 28 annually, aiming to promote environmental sanitation and hygiene practices.
He also suggested observing World Toilet Day on November 19 and Global Handwashing Day on October 15 each year to educate the public on the dangers of open defecation and the importance of proper sanitation and hand hygiene.
Furthermore, the Ministry has initiated programs such as ‘Clean and Green,’ aimed at eliminating open defecation in Nigeria by 2025 and implementing sustainable total sanitation and green technology initiatives.
Community-based interventions and responses to cholera outbreaks have been implemented in several states, with plans to expand these initiatives nationwide.
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