Water Aid, Rotary, Others Promote Hygiene, Clean Water Access

Water Aid in collaboration with Rotary International, International Republican Institute, Action against hunger, YouthWASH Network, Public Private Development Centre, WASH media network, Plan International, United Purpose and Connected Development, have launched a campaign: vote4WASH which calls on the public to promote the provision of clean water, hygiene, and sanitation in the country, by using their votes wisely.

Speaking at the flag off of the campaign, Manasseh Igyoh, representing Water Aid Nigerian’s Country Director, said with nearly 60 million people living without clean water, over 120 million people without access to a decent toilet and about 46 million people defecating in the open, the NGO could not afford to ignore the urgency of WASH action in Nigeria.

According to him, looking at the current rates of progress, the promise to bring safe water and toilets to everyone by 2030 will not be met hence, WASH ( Water, sanitation and hygiene) has the primary objective of encouraging the public to vote politicians that will ensure that such basic amenities are met.

The vote4WASH campaign organisers also called on all electoral candidates to ensure that water, sanitation and hygiene promotion is given the priority it deserves with ambitious universal access targets on (WASH) for households as well as schools, health facilities and other public places.

Manasseh revealed that many Nigerians will save on health bills and be able to be more productive and generate more income if they have clean water and sanitation” He further revealed that 67% of the population lacks basic sanitation, 26% practice open defecation, 33% of the population are without clean water while 87% do not have basic hygiene facilities.

According to him, sub -Saharan Africa ranks lowest in the world for access to improved drinking water and sanitation, around 60,000 children under the age of five in Nigeria die from diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene.