FIC Report (Abia State) – The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in collaboration with Abia State Ministry of Power and Public Utilities has organized a 2 day engagement, sensitization and capacity building workshop for major stakeholders towards flag off of open defecation free Abia program.
Addressing the participants at the workshop with the theme, CLEAN NIGERIA, USE THE TOILET CAMPAIGN, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities Engr. Ikechukwu Monday described the workshop as being in line with Dr. Alex Otti’s developmental goal agenda and thanked the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation for coming to Abia for such exercise.
Engr. Ikechukwu called on all and sundry to support the governor in dealing with the issue of defecation as it affects the health, environment, and wealth of the people.
“This issue affects our health. It also affects our environments and our well-being in general and as a state. Our dear governor, His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti has given a mandate that Abia State should be open defecation free by the end of his administration.
“Open defecation is not just a sanitation issue. It is an issue of public health. It is a matter of dignity, it also has economic effects, so it is a very big issue.
“So when people relieve themselves in the open, road sides, bushes, water sources, it leads to deadly disease. It is a critical matter that we need to find a solution to and we can all achieve it together and that is why we are here to reach our people, to make people understand that this is something that is not good for everyone.
“Information from the UNICEF says that only 2 percent of Abians are practicing open defecation, so you see that we can easily go to that zero percent and the reason is that most homes in our state have toilets.
“It is more of institutional, health, school, markets, local offices, so once we can go local government by local government, we can clear it soon,” he stated.
According to the Commissioner, the Governor is 100 percent in support of the project and informed that last year, the state launched the Abia State Wash accelerated Program, which he said is aimed at achieving the sustainable development goal number six. He explained that SDG number six has to do with water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Engr Ikechukwu Monday also informed that Dr. Alex Otti has approved the installation of 10 ultra modern toilet wash facilities across the State starting with Umuahia in the first phase, saying that the next phase is to reach out to every local government.
He also emphasized that the importance of achieving this open defecation free is to improve public health, environmental protection, economic growth, and less disease among the people.
He used the medium to call on community leaders, village heads, school head masters and everyone to have a behavioral change, which will bring the desired result in that regard.
Also speaking the representative of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation Abuja Mrs. Chizuma Opara said they are excited to collaborate with the Abia State Government and for making the dream a reality.
“Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet is an attitudinal thing, a behavioral change campaign and the act of ending open defecation is about you and I, it is about taking a collective decision and making efforts to ensure that we move in that trend.
“Ending Open defecation means that we must work together,” she stated.
She also informed that the 142 local governments out of 774 in the country are open defecation free, saying that, that the project was launched on the 19th of November, 2019. She added that the aim is to create awareness and to sensitize the public on the need to end open defecation across the country.
In their goodwill messages, the mayor of Ikwuano LGA, Dr. Anthony Nwaubani is represented by the secretary of the Local Government, Hon. Ahamefula Azuonwu.
The Director General of BCA, represented by Chibuzo Maduka – Iro expressed happiness and appreciated the organisers for coming to Abia State to carry out the sensitization.
Signed
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC, FIC Umuahia, Abia State.
