Bauchi gov directs LGs to conduct comprehensive sanitation

Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed has directed the conduct of comprehensive sanitation exercises across the 20 local government areas of the state in compliance with the national clean Nigeria campaign; ‘Use the Toilets’ aimed at delivering open defecation-free Nigeria by 2025.

He stated this Tuesday during the launching of clean family campaign organised by the state Ministry of Water Resources, Bauchi state Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) with support from WaterAid Nigeria held at Kirfi local government area of the state as part of this year’s Global Hand-washing Day.

Represented by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Umar Sanda Adamu, the governor explained that the special sanitation exercise began in June this year.

He said although the campaign was launched in Kirfi local government, the lessons learned should be replicated in all other local governments of the state.

Bala, who revealed that about 3.9 million people in the state lacked access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, assured that his administration was committed to creating institutional frameworks, partnerships and collaboration with a view to accelerating the access to the services quickly.

Also speaking, the Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Dr Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, represented by the Technical Lead, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene of the organisation, Adebayo Alao, opined that non access to water, sanitation and hygiene services by many citizens of the state was what contributed to the continuous outbreaks of diseases like cholera and Lassa fever.

“In 2018, the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA) reported that 9, 275 cholera cases resulting in the deaths of 28 people were recorded. We cannot continue to let this happen as a people,” she said.

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