The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has enjoined the governments and residents of Biu and Shani LGAs of Borno State to sustain their Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
The two LGAs were recently declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Phuong T. Nguyen, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, North East Nigeria, gave the advice during a two-day media dialogue on open defecation in Biu.
She said open defecation was a threat to children’s survival, particularly those who lived in communities affected by conflict.
She further said that the designation of Biu and Shani as ODF was a gift to vulnerable children and families.
She said, “We cannot withdraw this gift. Rather, we must improve on the status quo and extend what has worked here to other communities in Borno State. Indeed, if it is possible in Biu and Shani, it is possible for other communities too.”
While noting that becoming ODF was a journey and not a destination, she added that there were key elements of the journey that must be maintained.
The Chairman of Biu LGA, Sule Ali Abubakar, said WASH staff were engaging with community members and going from one community to the other to educate people on the importance of a clean environment, good hygiene, sustaining the ODF status and ensuring that cholera remained a thing of the past in Biu.
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