UNICEF on Friday in Maiduguri urged Borno to accelerate the stoppage of open defecation.
The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Manager of UNICEF, Maiduguri Field Office, Mrs. Mamita Thakkar, made the call in a presentation as part of events to commemorate the 2023 World Toilet Day.
Thakkkar noted that Borno had recorded some progress as two of its local government areas, Biu and Shani, had been identified as open-defecation-free (ODF) areas.
Three other local government areas—Kwaya-Kusar, Bayo, and Hawul—were close to attaining the status, she said.
“Borno made significant progress by getting the first two local government areas to become open-defecation-free in 2022.
“This momentum needs to be sustained, with accelerated efforts to bring more local government areas into the ODF campaign.
“Sanitation results can be achieved if they are of high administrative and political priority, if adequate budgets are released, if capacities are built at every level, and if a deadline is followed,’’ Thakkar said.
She noted that it would require investments, the building of capacities, and the provision of access to relevant facilities in public places and in communities for any state to attain ODF status.
In his remarks, Acting Director, Sanitation at Borno State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, Mr. Tijjani Babangida, said the agency had lined up programs and advocacy visits to stakeholders to expand the ODF status.
