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- Pix(above, R-L): Engr Suleiman Adamu, HMWR and Mr. Sunday Dare, HMY&SD
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources is set to collaborate with Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on the Open Defecation-Free campaign.
This was the outcome of the meeting between the Hon. Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman H. Adamu, FNSE, FAeng and the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, when the former paid him a courtesy visit on 12th January 2023 in the Ministry of Sports office, Abuja.
Engr. Adamu spoke extensively on the benefits to be derived in ending open defecation in Nigeria. According to him, ending open defecation will not only help in curtailing diseases, such as cholera, diarrhea and other related ailments, but will create massive employment for the teaming Nigerian Youths through the huge investment available from Sanitation Economy.
Explaining further the importance of ending open defecation in the country, Engr Adamu noted that the involvement of Nigerian youths, particularly NYSC members, in the success of the campaign, cannot be overemphasized.
He stressed that 100 LGAs are already open defecation free, and an entire state, namely Jigawa State, is equally open defecation free (ODF). He, therefore, implored the Minister of Youth and Sports Development to key into the programme so as to advance the course of meeting the 2025 target year of ending open defecation in Nigeria.
Engr Adamu informed that it is also imperative to note that there is a huge investment potential of about USD 6.9 billion in financial terms as presented by the Sanitation Economy.
In his response, the Hon. Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, commended the efforts of the Minister of Water Resources and his consistency in the works of the campaign. He expressed unflinching support for the programme and his Ministry’s willingness to collaborate with the Ministry of Water Resources in this stride of ending open defecation in the country.
He said: “The centrality of Nigerian youths in this whole process of driving the campaign to end open defecation by 2025 target year in Nigeria gladdens my heart. This effort is important, and creating awareness on open defecation is key. The youth can help with creating this needed awareness from federal to the regional level. “
Mr Dare, therefore, pledged that he would ensure that his ministry in conjunction with NYSC designs a programme that will revolve around ‘Youth in WASH’ and make the youths Ambassadors that will drive the process. He assured that with about 320,000 NYSC members on an annual basis, there is huge positivity for the campaign.
The NYSC Ag. Director General, Mrs Uba, also pledged to mobilize the NYSC members to support the Open Defecation campaign in order to meet the 2025 target of ending Open Defecation in Nigeria./SHARE THIS
- Courtesy: Kenechukwu Offie, fnipr, Director, Press and Public Relations