Abuja:FCT: The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in the Federal Capital Territory has initiated a four-day certification exercise across 67 communities and wards to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this initiative is supported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and is part of Nigeria’s goal to eliminate open defecation by 2030.
The exercise involves inspecting toilet facilities and basic hygiene materials in households, healthcare centers, schools, markets, and public toilet facilities in selected wards of the Kwali Area Council.
Mr. Hussaini Abdulkadir, Deputy Director of RUWASSA, highlighted that significant progress has been made in the FCT’s efforts to eradicate open defecation, with 171 communities in the 10 wards of Kwali Area Council already certified as ODF.
He encouraged stakeholders to intensify their efforts to ensure the successful certification of more communities. Abdulkadir also emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining safe and hygienic environments.
He mentioned that a one-day orientation workshop for task group members was organized by RUWASSA, urging them to use the Simple, Immediate, Doable Action (SIDA) approach to promote behavioral improvements in hygiene and sanitation.
Communities achieving certification will undergo a final assessment, known as validation, by the National Task Group on Sanitation.