UNICEF declares state of emergency on water, sanitation and hygiene in Anambra

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has declared a state of emergency on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Anambra State as part of the ongoing global efforts to achieve total access to water by 2030.

At the flag off of the campaign against open defecation and inauguration of inter ministerial committee on WASH in Awka yesterday, the WASH manager at the UNICEF Enugu area office, Ms Mamita Bora Thakka charged the state government to show commitment in the campaign, regretting that about 672,000 people in the state still defecate in the open, while about 70% of the population do not have access to water, soap or hand washing facility in their homes.

“Today we are in a way creating a moment in history of WASH in Anambra State by the launch of the Clean Anambra Use the Toilet campaign, emergency on WASH and the constitution of the inter-ministerial steering committee on WASH.

“Though the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme, WSSRRP project has ended, UNICEF has continued to support the state. Starting with this event of the launch of emergency, we are supporting all interventions to make Anambra East local government the first Open Defecation Free, ODF, local government in the state, by February, 2021. This will help establish a salable model for the state and soon, we believe, Aguata and other LGAs will follow suit.

“But a lot needs to be still done because even after one year of the launch of Clean Nigeria Campaign, Anambra State does not have a single LGA that is ODF, while only 6.2% of schools in the state has proper hand washing facilities with soap and water.

“We, therefore, need to accelerate our efforts to create a state which can put a stop to open defecation. There should be investments in water, sanitation and hygiene as these pay dividends in public health, nutrition, education, employment, gender equality and the environment, making the cost of inaction too great to neglect.

“The state is uniquely positioned to make a substantial impact in the lives, health and economy of its future generations through these investments.

“We need a multi pronged and a multi level approach for universal access to sanitation. Investment in five key accelerators can be a pathway towards state’s achievement of safe sanitation for all.

“These key areas are good governance, beginning with strong political leadership, smart public finance to lay the foundation for safe sanitation services, institutional capacities across the sanitation sector, including training, human resources development, reliable data for better decision-making and stronger accountability, as well as innovation to unlock better approaches and meet emerging challenges like urbanization and climate change

“We also need to change our perception of sanitation from being a stand-alone issue to one that is enshrined on several areas of our growth and development.”

Governor Willie Obiano, while inaugurating the committee said it was his earnest desire that the launch, coming against the backdrop of the reported resurgence of Covid -19, would strengthen the state’s collaborative efforts with UNICEF to make Anambra an open defecation free state and address other crucial issues in the public health sector of the state.

“We are fully aware, that water, sanitation and hygiene constitute a major foundation upon which public health stands. We know that when there is no access to water, the pride and dignity of a people suffer a major blow.

“It is on account of this understanding that my administration has prioritized the provision of portable water over the years. That was why, even with the threat of Covid-19, my administration worked very hard to ensure the commissioning of Obizi and Otuocha water schemes.

“The two water schemes have a capacity to supply water to 21 communities in both Aguata and Anambra East Local Government Areas. I have also approved a Public Private Partnership management structure for the Greater Onitsha water scheme with PCI of South Africa to ensure that the challenge of providing portable water to the residents of Onitsha is tackled head-on..

“I have no doubt that our partnership with UNICEF will give our people a fighting chance against ailments caused by lack of portable water, open defecation and other poor hygiene practices. Our efforts in this regard are perfectly aligned to the Clean Nigeria Campaign by the federal government, which aims to end Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025.”

Governor Obiano said his government counts on partnership with UNICEF and look forward to receiving their continued technical support to enable the government achieve their vision of attaining Open Defecation Free local governments across the state, in addition to boosting our capacity to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene to all residents of their dear state.

Lateefah Ibrahim