NAN-HG-6
Defecation
By Zubairu Idris
Katsina, March 22, 2017(NAN) Alhaji Aminu Dayyabu, the Executive Director, Katsina State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) said the agency had certified no fewer than 453 communities in the state as open defecation free.
He made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Katsina.
Dayyabu further said that the by the certification was done under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, supported by UNICEF.
Open defecation free is a situation where all members of a community use sanitation systems rather than open defecation.
He said that the certification followed the successes recorded by WASH programme in the participating local government areas of the state.
Dayyabu said the local governments were: Bakori, Ingawa, Dutsin-ma, Sandamu, Mai’adua, Musawa, Faskari, Kaita, Batagarawa, Matazu and Safana.
According to him, open defecation and living in unhygienic environment are responsible for most of the water and environment-related diseases in the rural communities.
Dayyabu said non defecation in an open environment would reduce diseases, child and maternal mortality in the state.
The director urged the certified communities to maintain their status to enable the country attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) number six, “which is on water and sanitation”.
According to Dayyabu, the certified communities will be considered first before other communities when it comes to the provision of water supply.
He also urged residents of the state to desist from of open defecation because of its dangers to human health.
Dayyabu said that 774 compartments of gender friendly Ventilated Improved Pit latrines (VIP), with urinals and hand washing facilities were constructed at 129 schools in the state.
He said the effort was aimed at improving personal and environmental hygiene among students in the area.(NAN)
ZI/MO/DUA
Edited by Morayo Omolade/Dada Ahmed