The challenge of clean water in developing nations
The theme is chosen to raise the profile of water by encouraging governments, organisations, communities and individuals around the world to proactively address the issue. For Nigeria, the theme is of special interest because 74 million out of its 140 million people, do not have quality water according to the 2009 records of the WHO/UNICEF […]
The theme is chosen to raise the profile of water by encouraging governments, organisations, communities and individuals around the world to proactively address the issue. For Nigeria, the theme is of special interest because 74 million out of its 140 million people, do not have quality water according to the 2009 records of the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) on Water and Sanitation.
“That number amounts to 50 per cent (plus) of the population living without water and this is indeed bad,’’ the report says. JMP’s idea of good water is the one from taps, tube wells or boreholes, or water sourced from protected dug well, protected spring and rainwater collection. It lists unimproved sources of water to include unprotected dug well, unprotected spring, cart with small tank, and water from rivers, dams, lakes and canals. The team has thus continued to caution against polluted water sources in view of their devastating impact on both rural and urban population.
It warns against the consumption of bad water as “any attempt to drink polluted water will cause water or sanitation related diseases’’. To minimise the inherent dangers, Mr Barry Jackson of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), based in Geneva, suggests that water supplied from rivers should be treated to avoid contamination.
“If water is polluted as a result of open defecation and is not treated well, it will affect the health of the people. Good sanitation, therefore, has a direct impact on water purification system for urban approach.’’ He says that it is important for people to also understand the danger in drinking water from those wells that are close to toilets because they will be drinking directly from their excreta.
To create awareness among Nigerians on the relationship between water sources and toilets, WaterAid Nigeria — an NGO — will on March 22, organise what it calls “longest toilet queue” in some strategic places as part of activities to mark the World Water Day. Mrs Onyinyechi Okechukwu, WaterAid’s Communication and Campaign Officer, says that the “longest toilet queue” campaign is aimed at drawing national attention to poor state of sanitation in Nigeria.
According to her, the campaign will be done in collaboration with the “End Water Poverty Campaign” group made up of 15 organisations across the country. “The idea is to seek immediate action to address issues of sanitation and water crisis in Nigeria”, she says. According to Okechukwu, the campaign will be carried out simultaneously with more than 110 coalition groups across the globe in some strategic places in the FCT and some states of the country. “We shall take the campaign to markets, schools, offices, Churches and motor parks in the FCT and its environs so as to mobilise the people and make the government take action on issues of water and sanitation.
“We will advocate for increased access to sanitation and water so as to make them a priority of governments at all levels. We shall also step up efforts to lobby the government to invest more finances to improve sanitation coverage in the country. “The campaign shall also seek support and special aid for the most vulnerable communities in the country,’’ she added. Okechukwu expressed hope that the campaign would help stimulate the government to provide improved toilet facilities for the people to reduce sanitation related diseases.
She said that signatures from the campaign would be added to the global number of people calling for improved sanitation. According to Okechukwu, the signatures will be presented during the high level meeting on water and sanitation on April 14 in Washington DC.
“The fact that more than 4,000 children die every day globally from sanitation related diseases calls for concern,’’ she said. Okechukwu said that the campaign groups would join other coalition groups in the world to express their concern for the poor situation and demand for a change. She lamented that world leaders have so far neglected the global crisis, a development that has undermined the fight against poverty, ill health and indignity.
“The 2010 meeting in Washignton DC provides an opportunity for a change against a situation where 2.5 billion people across the world still have to wait in line for the right to use safe and dignified toilets”, she said. In view of the importance of sanitation, Mr Badamosi Tahir, an Acting Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (FMAWR), says the current campaigns are “very crucial’’ to attaining the MDGs targets.
Tahir, who oversees Water Supply and Inspectorate Control Department, says sanitation is “very crucial’’ to diseases prevention as well as economic and social development. He said that government, through the Ministry, had tried to reduce the re-occurrence of sanitation-related diseases by providing potable water, adequate sanitation and boosting hygienic practices. He identifies the missing link in the sanitation campaigns to include attitude, knowledge, hygiene practice and behavioural changes.
He suggests that current campaigns should focus on a framework that would enhance political support, alliance building and attitudinal change in the society. Mr Tsahiru Bako, Kaduna State Commissioner for Water Resources, agrees with Tahir’ Bako wants a sustained campaign that will mobilise more Nigerians to promote clean environments.
“The situation indeed requires more efforts especially with indices showing that not much had been achieved, in spite of huge finances that have been invested in the sector in the past”, he says.
For UNICEF’s Sanitation Specialist, Mr Bisi Agberemi, more needs to be done by stakeholders toward implementing all strategies. “Communication strategies we had in the past did not put sanitation component into consideration and we cannot achieve water component without sanitation,’’ he says. But Mr Musa Ibrahim, a Water analyst, is optimistic that Nigeria can meet set -goals since the country has all the resources to improve water supply and sanitation. “I think what we lack now is the commitment to translate policies into actions,’’ he said. He challenged the Ministry of Agriculture to translate all the commitments signed at the regional and global levels into action.
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