2 Jigawa LGAs declared Open Defecation Free

Buji and Birnin Kudu local government areas in Jigawa state have been certified as Open Defecation Free (ODF), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Officer, Uba Lawal has said. Lawal, who made this known yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Dutse, said all communities in the two […]

Buji and Birnin Kudu local government areas in Jigawa state have been certified as Open Defecation Free (ODF), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Officer, Uba Lawal has said.

Lawal, who made this known yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Dutse, said all communities in the two LGAs met the requirements as stipulated by an Independent national task force that was developed under the guidance of federal ministry of water resource for the ODF.

He said that for a local government council to be certified as an ODF, all communities in such councils must have a latrine facilities capable of curtailing open defecation and clean water for washing hands.

In his remark, the Jigawa state Commissioner of Water Resource, Ibrahim Garba Hanungiwa, said the two LGAs were announced as the third and fourth to be declared as ODF in the eight Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) project states.

“It is my honour to declare Birnin Kudu and Buji LGAs an Open Dedication Free (ODF). The third and fourth LGAs to be declared out of the 70 LGAs in the 8 SHAWN project states, and fifth and sixth out of the 774 LGAs in the country.”

The commissioner said another two LGAs, Roni and Gwiwa might also attain the ODF status before the end of the year.