The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, on Saturday called on stakeholders to support the campaign against open free defecation in Niger State.
He made the call during a training programme for Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOs) by the NOA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Niger State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the programme was preparatory to a national campaign against open defecation.
Abari, who was represented by Mrs Mary Tanko, Acting FCT Director of NOA, urged stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts in eradicating open defecation in the state.
He appealed to the state government to support the agency financially towards the success of the campaign so as to eradicate open defecation by 2025.
“The agency alone cannot shoulder the logistics requirements of this campaign, therefore, we solicit for the support of the state government,’’ he declared.
In his address of welcome, Malam Yahaya Gbongbo, the NOA Director in Niger State, urged the COMOs in its 25 local government areas to take the campaign against open defecation to the grassroots.
He noted that the country’s current status on open defecation was alarming and unacceptable, adding that stakeholders must come together to campaign against the practice.
Gbongbo solicited for the support and collaboration of the ministries of Water Resources and Health was well as the state’s Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) to end open defecation by 2025.
Alhaji Suleiman Yusuf, the state’s Commissioner for Water of Resources, who was represented by Abubakar Idris, Permanent Secretary at the ministry, assured of adequate water supply in the state to ensure support hygienic defecation.
Edited By: Alli Hakeem
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