Bennett Oghifo

The Roadmap, developed with support from UNICEF, ought to provide a guide towards achieving an open defecation free country, using different approaches such as “capacity development; promotion of improved technology options through sanitation marketing; provision of sanitation facilities in public places; Community-Led Total Sanitation; promotional and media campaigns; creating enabling environment and coordination mechanism.”

According to UNICEF, “Achieving an ODF Nigeria would require constructing nearly 20 million household toilets and 43,000 toilets in schools, health centres and public places requiring an average annual investment of about N100 billion (approximately 75% household investment; 25% government contribution).”

Open defecation brings with it significant health risks, like avoidable deaths from diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid, as well as insecurity issues, particularly for

women and girls who become rape victims because they can only do their business in the dark.

Eradicating open defecation is thus an onerous task that must be marched with adequate funding and unequivocal commitment, as did the government of India in October 2014 up to October 2, 2019 when it declared India open defecation free.

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading New Delhi (India) - based research and advocacy body, said it has been working to highlight issues, concerns and practices related to rural sanitation in India and Africa.

In January, this year, CSE organised an Exposure Visitcum-Briefing Tour to India for journalists in Africa, “to understand the linkages that exist between environmental issues (such as sanitation) of the two regions and their communities; to witness and know about best practices; and to share reporting experiences with Indian counterparts.”