Wary of the rapid spread of Cholera, the Federal Government says it has commenced measures to combat the epidemic by tackling its root causes, which includes ending open defecation by 2025.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima stated this on Thursday when he inaugurated the Steering Committee for the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” Campaign, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the 2018 Water and Sanitation Hygiene national outcome revealed that approximately 47 million Nigerians, constituting 23 per cent of the population, engaged in open defecation.
He said that ending open defecation can be achieved by mobilizing strategic stakeholders and leveraging technology, as well as deploying innovative and sustainable solutions to boost the nation’s sanitation landscape.
Shettima, who underscored the significance of hygiene, health, and its impact on development and wealth, urged the committee to “align with broader government priorities and interventions in areas such as poverty reduction, education, and economic growth.”
The VP added that the recently reported cases of cholera in the country should serve as sufficient motivation for the committee to work harder, just as he directed members of the committee to “craft solutions to handle wastewater management, contaminated water sources, and open defecation” across the country.