United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has demanded more action from governments at all levels to initiate and enforce policies towards the provision of Water Sanitation and Hygiene facilities across public places in the country.
The organisation explained that this measure would go a long way in putting an end to open defecation and ensuring healthy living for the people especially those in the urban areas.
The UNICEF, Lagos Office WASH Specialist, Monday Johnson stated this on Tuesday during a two-day media dialogue on Accelerating Actions to improve Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene(WASH) in Nigeria organized by the Oyo State Ministry of Information in collaboration with UNICEF taking place in Ilaji hotels and resort, Akanran road, Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo.
Johnson who commended some state governments for having updated WASH policies, solicited the support of all stakeholders including the media in a bid to achieve Sustainable Development Goal six in ensuring clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.
According to him, ‘Increasing urbanization across many states in Nigeria, is outpacing the expansion of sanitation infrastructure. Overcrowded urban slums with limited space, inadequate containment systems, and poor access to safely managed sanitation services are exacerbating open defecation and environmental health risks
‘ We must understand and agree that more people are moving into the urban cities and areas, thereby stressing the available sanitation and water hygiene facilities; the urban areas are already overwhelmed with more people and fewer facilities for them to use.
‘ The urban areas are growing fast and will not have the WASH facilities to take care of the people coming into the locations, especially looking at the projected rise in population by the year 2050.
‘ There is a need for the government of all levels, especially states to start coming up with policies and funding to address the gaps because it is obvious we can’t stop migration. Also, there is a need for engagement and partnership with the private sector.
‘ The overall status of the WASH sector in Nigeria is low. Only 10% of the population has access to complete basic water sanitation and hygiene services. Those living in rural areas are three times more disadvantaged than those in urban areas.
‘ It must be stated that the driver of healthy living is the availability of good WASH facilities, hence the need for us to play our roles in accelerating the advocacy for these facilities.
Referencing Ekiti State as one of the states with an updated WASH policy and revealing specific ways government can use policies to ensure compliance, Johnson added, ‘ One of the things our government can do is ensure all filling stations and markets have complete and clean WASH facilities for people to use and discourage open defecation
‘ Don’t forget it is the right of every citizen to have access to adequate and clean WASH facilities.’
Johnson stressed that improving sanitation and hygiene behaviour is critical not only to public health but also to poverty reduction.
The UNICEF’s Communication Officer, Lagos Field Office, Blessing Ejiofor said the dialogue became necessary to build the capacity of media practitioners in using their platforms to advocate for a better society with improved WASH services.
She also emphasised that access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is a fundamental human right, calling for stronger commitment and action from both the government and the citizens.
In his goodwill message, the Director of Community Mobilisation and Hygiene Education, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), Adegoke Ayodele, highlighted progress made in the state through sustained efforts on WASH programmes, describing them as ‘success stories that must be built upon.’
On her part, the Program Officer at the Oyo State Ministry of Information, Mrs. Adeola Adewole, urged journalists to use their platforms to advocate improved sanitation practices and policies across Nigeria.