Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Few hours after President Mohammadu Buhari signed the Executive Order 009 to end open defecation in the country by 2025, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday expressed worry that 28 per cent Nigerians still engage in open defecation.
Consequently, NBS said that it would embark on fresh survey in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Water Resources and United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) to verify the new percentage figure of the population of Nigerians who practise open defecation.
“The survey will provide further context on previously published data on water access, sanitation and open defecation”, NBS, said.
Earlier, Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) disclosed that 34 per cent of Nigerian populace still engage in open defecation, adding that 59.6 per cent have access to improved sanitation.
These incidences, according to NBS, pose a significant risk to public health and wellbeing and more information is needed to gain further insight into the challenge to develop appropriate and better informed solutions.
“In the light of this, the study, known as WASH-NORM survey, is being conducted to provide quality data to the Federal Government to enable evidence-based decision making as well as the efficient application of resources towards the improvement of access to WASH Services in Nigeria”, the bureau said
The survey, according to the Statistician General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale, will cover all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Forty enumeration areas will be selected for the study in each of the states and FCT, except Lagos and Kano where 40 enumeration areas will be selected based on each of the senatorial zones.
“NBS enumerators will be in the field to collect data from respondents for three calendar weeks, beginning from November 24 to December 15, 2019,” Kale said.
Recall that just 23 hours ago, Buhari signed an Executive Order 009 to the effect that by 2025, Nigeria would be free from open defecation.
The new order states, among others, “That by this Order, Nigeria is committed to being open defecation-free by 2025.
“There is an established National Secretariat called ‘Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat.’
“The secretariat is authorised 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.
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” Buhari, said.