Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the governors of all 36 states in Nigeria to ramp up efforts to eliminate open defecation within the next five years.
Shettima made this appeal during the fifth anniversary of the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ initiative and the unveiling of the Revised Strategic Plan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Represented by Ibrahim Hadejia, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Shettima emphasized the necessity for state governments to actively garner high-level political backing to propel the campaign, particularly at the sub-national tiers.
He highlighted the significant economic potential within Nigeria’s sanitation sector, suggesting that aligning these prospects with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda could lead to job creation, alternative energy solutions, and the production of organic fertilizers.
“In light of this, it is crucial to re-strategize the essential components that will elevate our advocacy and awareness efforts,” he stated.
“The newly introduced Strategic Plan for the Clean Nigeria Campaign offers a detailed and actionable framework aimed at ensuring reasonable toilet access for all by 2030.
“I strongly encourage State Governors to extend their support for the campaign at both the State and Local Government levels to attain our goal of a Nigeria free from open defecation within the next five years,” he concluded.
