9 LGAs declared open defecation-free in Katsina, Jigawa

The Ministry of Water Resources has declared nine additional local government areas Open Defecation Free (ODF), having met the requirements slated in the 2017 ODF Protocol for hygiene promotion.

The local government area’s are Malumfashi, Kusada, Mashi, Batagarawa, Baure in Katsina State and Hadejia, Ringim, Malam Madori and Kiri Kasama in Jigawa.

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This brings a total of 71 out of the 774 local government areas in the country that are open defecation-free.

At the monthly meeting of the National Task Group on Sanitation, which held virtually on Wednesday, the Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Awe, commended the two states.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that before attaining the ODF status, communities would have eliminated open defecation and imbibed total sanitation practices, which include personal, environmental and domestic hygiene.

The communities would have also had 100 per cent toilet use and increased ownership and sustainability of hygiene and sanitation services.

While commending the efforts of the two states and other stakeholders in the sanitation sector, Awe, represented by Mr Emmanuel Eze, called for sustainable practices for total sanitation and overall development. (NAN)