Traditional, religious leaders seek for law against open defecation

Traditional and religious leaders in Kaduna state have lamented the lack of appropriate laws to back up the campaign against open defecation in the state. The leaders spoke in Kafanchan, Jema’a LGA, during an “Open Defecation Free (ODF) sensitization meeting for traditional and religious leaders organised by UNICEF. The participants agreed that the best way […]

Traditional and religious leaders in Kaduna state have lamented the lack of appropriate laws to back up the campaign against open defecation in the state.

The leaders spoke in Kafanchan, Jema’a LGA, during an “Open Defecation Free (ODF) sensitization meeting for traditional and religious leaders organised by UNICEF.

The participants agreed that the best way to easily attain ODF is for government to come up with enabling laws to enforce the campaign.

One of the traditional leaders, District Head of Asso in Jema’a LGA, Barnabas Samaila, said the law has become imperative to strengthen their campaign against the practice.

“It is important that local government councils come up with laws against open defecation because we do have problems with our people in terms of enforcement.

“Some people will tell you that there is no law that gives you(traditional leader) that power. That is why  we need those laws,” he added.

The Chairman Zango-Kataf LGA, Dr. Elias Manza, assured that the LGAs will ensure the enactment of such law very soon.

“We need to work together with the district heads, community leaders and leaders of the LGAs in order to ensure we overcome the issue of open defecation. The law will be in place in a short time from now,” he said.

Manza, commended UNICEF  for championing the campaign.

Theresa Pamma, WASH Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, pledged UNICEF’s support for the review of the LGAs bye-laws.

“We are going to support the LGAs to review thebye-laws. I know that there were local government bye-laws in the past but have become obsolete.’’