We need N27b to combat open defecation – Gov. Lalong

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said the State need about 27 billion Naira to fight open defecation as well as provide access to basic sanitation to the people of Plateau. 

Lalong said his government is poised to achieve this milestone by the year 2023, adding that his administration has already paid a counterpart funding to the European Union (EU) intervention to the tune of over N500,000,000. 

The Governor stated this on Tuesday at the launch of ‘Keep Your Promises Campaign’ organised by the European Union, with implementation by Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), in Jos the Plateau State capital. 

He said the end to open defecation which will gulp such huge amount is a task that cannot be soldered by government alone, saying that, “the State cannot do it alone without the support of development partners and therefore we are calling on all the partners to support the State to attain open defecation free status by the year 2023”, Lalong said. 

On her part, the country director, Water Aid Nigeria, Mrs. Chichi Okoye said a survey carried out in Plateau in 2018, indicates that only 44.9 per cent have access to improved water sources,while 34.5 per cent have improved sanitation. 

Okoye who was represented by the project manager, European Technical Assistance to Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s), in Plateau State, Ms. Idowu Adeboye, said the statistics indicates that a gap of 2.3 million people in the State do not have access to water, while 2.8 million lack decent toilets. 

“In 2018 the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics estimated that within the past six weeks, 19.9 per cent of households in Plateau suffered a diarrheal disease and at this rate, attaining the sustainable development goals which are targeted on water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030 will be an enormous challenge if speedy steps are not taken with very deliberate and intensified measures to address this issues” Okoye said.    

However, the State coordinator for NEWSAN, Mr. Vings Lomak said, sustained campaign and strategies will be deployed to ensure that politicians keep to their promises of ensuring water sanitation and decent toilets in their various constituents as promised during the 2019 electioneering before being elected to serve the people.