Gabriel Enenche —
The Federal Capital Territory yesterday inaugurated the construction of 10,000 public conveniences in the FCT, organised by the FCT Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA). At the inauguration, he Minister of State, FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu reiterated the commitment of the FCT Administration to making the territory open defecation free.
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Aliyu also said that in the FCT, one in every three persons practices open defecation, amounting to approximately 37 per cent of the population.
She explained that in 2014, Nigeria embarked on an ambitious five-year mission to eliminate open defecation nation-wide, building millions of toilets and aiming to change the behaviour of millions of Nigerians, therefore, she called on FCT RUWASSA and all stakeholders to accelerate actions and efforts aimed at making FCT open defecation free.
“In Nov., 9, 2021, the FCT Administration launched an action plan targeted at ending open defecation by 2025, she said.
“The plan involves providing equitable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and strengthening community-led approaches to total sanitation,” Aliyu said.
Aliyu reiterated that the optimal benefits that accrued from adequate water supply could not be achieved without a corresponding improvement in sanitation and hygiene practices.
While stressing that access to adequate potable water and improved sanitation and hygiene practices played important roles in defining the human capital development of a nation, the Minister assured that the FCT Administration would continue to support and encourage private sector collaboration and participation in the provision of public conveniences in the territory.