Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has stated the Federal Government’s determination to end open defecation by 2025.
According to her the practice with its attendant negative health implications is a war that must be won noting that governments at all levels must join hands to ensure access to improved toilet facilities.
Speaking at the launch of the sensitization campaign at the Home for the Needy Foundation(which accommodates Internally Displaced Persons) in Uhogua, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, with the theme, ‘Clean Nigeria-Use The Toilet’, she noted that one of the key objectives of the campaign is advancing towards a culture of safe defecation and to end open defecation.
The Minister was represented at the occasion by the Director of Social Development in the Ministry, Taiwo Bashorun.
The Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issue, represented by Taiye Irabor, assured the cooperation and support of the ministry towards the success of the program in the state.
Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, the General Overseer and Founder, International Christian Centre, Home for the Needy, thanked the Federal Government for bringing the sensitization project to the over 3000 internally displaced persons in the home.
He said, “We have over 200 of them in different Universities studying Medicine and Surgery, law and other courses. During the last JAMB examination, the highest person in Nigeria scored 362 and we have persons here that scored 315 and he is 15 years of age.
“Most of them that sat for JAMB here scored over 200. I want the government to pay attention to their education by funding and scholarships. For some time now we have not received any food items from the government, we don’t know if such have been diverted.”
FG’s fight against open defecation berths in Edo IDPs camp
