Jigawa validated as Nigeria’s first open defecation-free state

Jigawa state was on Thursday, October 27, validated as Nigeria’s first open defecation-free state by the federal government.  The announcement was made by Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, at a world press conference on the forthcoming World Toilet Conference which will hold in Nigeria next month. Adamu said;  “As of today we have 85 Local Government Areas certified open defecation-free. It might interest you to note that Jigawa State has blazed the trail as the first state to become open defecation-free.“

They deserve commendation for their dedication to the work of becoming open defecation free.” The Minister also said that the national campaign to end open defecation was approved by Federal Executive Council on May 8, 2019, with the aim of mobilising all strata of the society in fighting the menace. Adamu added;  “About 48 million people were said to be defecating in the open, according to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Routine Mapping Survey.

The national campaign proper was flagged off on November 18, 2019 by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. “This was closely followed by the promulgation of an Executive Order 009 by the President on November 20, 2019. I affirm here that Nigeria is committed to ending open defecation and it is noteworthy that in 2017 we had only one Local Government Area that was open defecation free.”