In commemoration of the 2019 World Toilet Day (WTD) and as part of efforts towards achieving the national target of ending open defecation in the country by 2025, the Nigerian government, in partnership with Harpic has launched the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign.
The 2019 WTD with the theme ‘Toilets for All’ – leaving no one behind, is in line with current global efforts towards achieving universal access to sanitation, whereby toilets are available for all. This is to help reduce open defecation while promoting better hygiene practices in the prevention of diseases.
“Nigeria lags behind other nations in terms of proper hygiene with about 47 million citizens without direct access to toilets.He also revealed that according to the statistics by World Health Organization (WHO), today, over 100,000 children die every year through poor sanitation and unsafe water caused by diarrhoea,” said Sulaimon Adamu, minister of Water Resources at the media briefing which was held immediately after a sensitization walk around the FCT Abuja to sensitize the residents on the need for proper toilet practices.
Adamu while appreciating the stakeholders for their support said, the campaign is aimed at mobilizing high level support and resources towards building a new culture of safe defecation.
“A large number of women and children are exposed to a high risk of contracting infections due to lack of access to proper sanitation which impacts on health, dignity, and safety. The ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign is aimed towards advancing the populace towards a new culture of safe defecation in the country,” he said.
Speaking on the role and support of the private sector towards ending open defecation in Nigeria, Asif Hashimi, general manager, RB Hygiene & Home West Africa West Africa, relayed that the provision of needed basic amenities is crucial in supporting the federal government’s plans towards ending open defecation.
“There is a need to construct public toilets and support public awareness campaigns towards behavioural change, so that people start rejecting open defecation as a norm.”
Emphasising on the commitment of Harpic towards the cause, the marketing director said, “Harpic, one of RB’s most notable brands has consistently put on its front burner the importance of having access to clean toilets.
“The aim of today’s campaign launch and the World Toilet Day commemoration is to raise awareness about the people in the world who don’t have access to safe toilets, despite the fact that it is a human right to have access to clean water and sanitation. Toilets save lives, because human waste spreads killer diseases.” He said.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
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