United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF has estimated that 119 Million Nigerians are not using safe toilets.
The agency’s Communications Specialist (Media and External Relations), Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, made this in a statement delivered in commemoration of this year’s World Toilet Day.
He said, “Some 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have adequate toilets and among them one billion defecate in the open. Here in Nigeria, about 119 million people are not using safe toilets while 50 million out of this number defecate in the open.
“Nigeria is among the top five countries in the world with high population practising open defecation and the number of open defecators has been on increase since 1990. Lack of a safe, clean toilet and practice of open defecation seriously impact people’s health, wellbeing and dignity as well as efforts towards poverty reduction, economic and social development and the environment
“The call to end the practice of open defecation is being made with growing insistence from the United Nations which is being led by the office of the Deputy Secretary General, encouraging countries to prioritise investments in sanitation and develop appropriate interventions to end this menace.
“In response to this call, the Nigerian government has shown commitment to end open defecation by 2025, a target which is not only commendable but achievable, considering Nigeria’s potential. A country that has 75 per cent of its households having mobile phones can easily mobilise the people to have simple toilets and end open defecation.
“Towards achieving the set target, UNICEF Nigeria is supporting the government to develop a national roadmap for the elimination of open defecation in the country by 2025.”
The recent epidemiology report of the Federal Ministry of Health also said that 150,000 Nigerian Children die from Diarrhea.
Open defecation is a common practice in Nigeria especially in rural areas where there is huge lack of toilet facilities.
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