{"id":30343,"date":"2020-09-24T19:44:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T19:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/nigeria\/?p=30343"},"modified":"2020-09-24T19:44:24","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T19:44:24","slug":"enugu-govs-wife-speaks-against-open-defecation-poor-sanitation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/nigeria\/all-news\/enugu-govs-wife-speaks-against-open-defecation-poor-sanitation","title":{"rendered":"Enugu gov\u2019s wife speaks against open defecation, poor sanitation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa Press-Nigeria:<\/p>\n

The wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugochi Ugwuanyi, has called on stakeholders in the state to create adequate awareness against poor sanitation and a statewide movement to stop open defecation in order to make the state open defecation free by 2025.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Ugwuanyi, who made the call during the end of the two-day inception workshop for the development of the state\u2019s roadmap for the attainment of the \u201cOpen Defecation Free (ODF)\u201d goal by 2025, stressed that sanitation is critical to health and human capital as well as economic growth.<\/p>\n

The workshop was organized by the Enugu State Ministry of Water Resources, the state\u2019s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (ENRUWASSA) and Mrs. Ugwuanyi\u2019s pet project, Ugo\u2019s Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF), in collaboration with the United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF).<\/p>\n

Speaking further, the Enugu governor\u2019s wife added that open defecation and poor sanitation pollute the environment and cause health problems, disclosing that high level of open defecation is linked to high child mortality, poor nutrition, among others.<\/p>\n

According to her, \u201cthis limits the child\u2019s ability to absorb nutrients \u2013 no matter how much food they eat. A malnourished child does not grow up to be healthy or a productive child. Girls are exposed to dangers, no privacy for their sanitation needs; sometimes they are raped or kidnapped. For adults, it means less income when they cannot work and more expenses for medications\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Ugwuanyi, therefore, harped on the urgent need to commence the development of the state\u2019s open defecation strategy \u201cby complying with certain conditions laid down by the Federal Government such as the context, the vision, the strategies, the actions, targets and the time-lines\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said that improving sanitation in the state is all about investing in the people and transforming lives, pointing out that, in achieving this, \u201chealthier children will become healthier adults who contribute more to the economy and the society\u201d.<\/p>\n

Her words: \u201cPeople defecate in the open where sanitation infrastructure and services are not available; others because of their traditional practices. This practice is not limited to rural areas, but urban centres as well.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cStrengthening the sanitation value-chain is critical for sustainability, as toilets need to be maintained and their by-product adequately managed. Global experience has shown that an emerging sanitation eco-system emerges from improved sanitation, which also creates opportunities to develop the local economy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Declaring the workshop closed, the Enugu governor\u2019s wife appreciated UNICEF, MoWR, ENRUWASSA and U-TOLF for organizing the timely event and commended the state government for its role, as well as the inauguration of the State Emergency Action Steering Committee.<\/p>\n