President Muhammadu Buhari has
signed an executive order to eliminate the practice of open defecation by 2025.
The order, entitled “The Open
Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order” was signed on
Wednesday.
In a statement, Femi Adesina,
special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said the executive
order takes effect immediately.
The order stipulates that all
public places must have accessible toilets and latrines within their premises.
It also states that the national
assembly and house of representatives shall enact laws on the practice with
appropriate sanctions and penalties.
“That by this Order, Nigeria is
committed to being open defecation free by 2025,” the statement read.
“That the National Open
Defecation Free (ODF) Roadmap developed by the Federal Ministry of Water
Resources with support from other key sector players across Nigeria be put into
effect.
“There is established in the
Federal Ministry of Water Resources a National Secretariat called ‘Clean
Nigeria Campaign Secretariat’.
“The Secretariat is authorized on
behalf of the President to implement this Order by ensuring that all public
places including schools, hotels, fuel stations, places of worship, market
places, hospitals and offices have accessible toilets and latrines within their
premises.
“All Ministries, Departments and
Agencies (MDAs) of government shall cooperate with the Clean Nigeria Campaign
Secretariat.
“The National Assembly and the
State Houses of Assembly shall enact legislation on the practice of open
defecation with appropriate sanctions and penalties.
“All development projects shall
include construction of sanitation facilities as an integral part of the
approval and implementation process.
“The Secretariat shall terminate
when Nigeria is declared Open Defecation Free.”
According to the statement, the
executive order was made against the background that Nigeria is ranked second
among the nations in the world with the highest number of people practicing
open defecation estimated at over 46 million people.
It said the practice, which has
had a negative effect on the populace, had contributed to the country’s failure
to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The president had described the
statistics on open defecation and access to pipe-borne water service and
sanitation as “disturbing” and had declared commitment to implement the
National Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Action Plan.
In 2018, Buhari declared state of
emergency on the WASH sector and subsequently launched a national campaign for
Nigeria to eliminate open defecation by 2025.
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