Just as the national roadmap to end open defecation free by 2025, has revealed that the cost of making Nigeria free by 2025 is estimated at N959bn, facts gathered across Lagos State have shown that it would take beyond 2025 to end the scourge in the state.
Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, had announced at the first public lecture on ‘Stop Open Defecation’, organised by the Faculty of Engineering, University of Abuja, that “The cost covers the hardware component of construction of household, institutional and public sanitation facilities, as well as the software component of mobilisation, advocacy and campaign.
“Households are expected to bear most of the cost, estimated at over N720bn.
“Construction of facilities in institutions and public places is estimated at N74bn, while the cost of implementing a national transformative campaign to end open defecation by 2025 is estimated at N159bn to be funded by federal and state governments.”
Continuing, he said “The Federal Government is expected to make contribution of about N6bn annually from 2020 till 2025, which is to be sourced from budgetary allocations and development partners, who have shown keen interest and have been involved in shaping the Clean Nigeria Programme which will also leverage on donations, Corporate Social Responsibility funds, business promotions, etc.”
While recalling that the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy, approved in 2000, had been put in place to completely eradicate open defecation across the country, investigations by Business Hilights Intelligence Unit (BHIU), an independent research arm of the Media Hilights Group showed that “Why open defecation may not end in Lagos sooner than later is the fact that majority of the culprits are Okada riders who migrated from the troubled spots in the north for greener pastures”.
“Findings further showed that majority of the Okada riders hardly resides in rented houses with toilet facilities than open spaces including at bus stops, uncompleted buildings and open markets and in the process are tempted to ease their selves in any open place like gutters, bushy highways and drains.
