Hygiene: Water Aid Nigeria Provides Enugu LGAS Motorized Boreholes, Toilet Facilities

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, August 10th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – International Non-profit making organizations, WaterAid Nigeria, has expressed deep worry over issue of open defecation in Communities of Enugu State, which pollutes environments, contaminates water bodies and exposes people to life threatening diseases, just as it provides two Council areas of the state with water and toilet facilities.

It regretted that the uncivilized act is still being widely practiced in parts of Nigeria.
Country Director of the body, Evelyn Mere, stated this yesterday in her speech during the commissioning of a 40,000 litre motorized borehole at Umuogili, in Igbo-Eze North Council area of Enugu State, built and completed by the organization with support from Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC).

Water – Aid Nigeria also commissioned and handed over two blocks of ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines at Gariki and Akwata markets in Enugu South local government Area of Enugu State.

She however, urged the leadership of the Council area to rise to the challenge of ensuring that every community within the area ends open defecation and attains open defecation free status by 2023.

The country Director frowned that national statistics shows that 48 percent of Enugu State’s population still practice open defecation.

“Access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene transforms lives and is a critical component for upholding human dignity and well-being.

” We therefore urged communities to effectively manage these facilities through the structures that have been set up, in order to maximize the purpose for which the facilities were put in place”.

She explained that the interventions were part of the ongoing ‘strengthening Water and Sanitation in Nigeria’ project which is being implemented in Enugu and Bauchi states.

According to her, the five – year project, which started in May 2021, she went on, is set to provide clean water to 40,000 people, safely managed sanitation to 3,000, and hygiene promotion to 16,000 people in both states.

The Water – Aid County Director further revealed that in Nigeria according to 2021 WASH National Outcome Mapping Survey (WASH NORMS), only 10 percent of the population have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

“68 million people (33% of the population) lack access to basic drinking water services. 113 million people (55% of the population) lack decent toilets.

“48 million people (23% of the population) practice open defecation. 171 million people (83% of the population) lack basic hand washing facilities.

” Only 11% of schools have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Only 6% of health care facilities have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

She added that : “Only 4% of parks and markets have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services”.

Dignitaries that graced the two different events include, the State Programme Lead, Water Aid, Solomon Akpanufot, who read the speech of the Country Director, Team Leader, Mr Bayo Alao Ita, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water Resources, Dr (Mrs) Ada John Nwoye, Traditional Rulers, Clergy men, among others.