Nigeria is still a long way from achieving the promise of Sustainable Development Goal six and ensuring clean water and sanitation for all, interim Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere, has said. But Mere believes that with collaboration, the country can make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation.
The WaterAid chief said Nigeria loses about N1.7 billion of its gross domestic product (GDP) to poor sanitation and hygiene yearly.
She also said about 60, 000 children under five die yearly in Nigeria due to poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Mere stated these during the public unveiling of Keep Your Promises, a four year campaign meant to hold elected officials accountable in Abuja, the nationโs capital.
The campaign which is being implemented by WaterAid in collaboration with other civil society groups, calls on elected leaders to deliver on their water and sanitation commitments during the last general elections.
Mere said: โThe situation for sanitation is getting worse. Not only did Nigeria not meet the Millennium Development Goal for sanitation but it currently has no hope of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals as the proportion of people without a toilet is steadily increasing.
โAt current rates of progress in Nigeria, we are still a long way, and in fact off-track, from achieving the promise of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and ensuring clean water and sanitation for all. But together, we can make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation.
โEvery year, nearly 60, 000 Nigerian children die before they start school from diseases linked to dirty water, poor sanitation and hygiene. And of those who survive, repeated bouts of diarrhea leads to malnutrition and often stunting.
โOver 10 million of Nigerian children are stunted, meaning their life chances are forever changed. For those who get to school, half will not have a toilet to use and when they get sick, one in three Nigeriaโs healthcare facilities do not have clean water or adequate sanitation facilities, meaning that many women and babies continue to die needlessly in childbirth.
The country director said the 2019 general elections gave the organisation the opportunity to change some of these realities with the vote4wash campaign.
The WaterAid chief said the organisation gained the commitment of 120 candidates across the country to prioritise WASH if voted into power.
Mere said: โNigerians have a huge role to play in the success of this campaign and in WASH governance in the country. We must hold our government accountable and demand for our rights to water and sanitation. When elected public officials and institutions are held accountable and governance is transparent, it increases the likelihood that these institutions and public officials will deliver on their mandate.
โToday, marks the beginning of a 4-year electoral advocacy campaign which aims to amplify the voices of citizens to demand for transparent and accountable governance in the WASH sector and allow close engagement with elected officials to translate their commitments to realistic and sustainable actions.
โWaterAid is calling on all elected officials to work towards changing the narrative on water and sanitation services in Nigeria, by ensuring increased investment in the WASH sector and focusing on providing both public and institutional WASH facilities to cater to the needs of Nigerians, most especially for the poorest and marginalised who suffer most from a lack of access to these facilities and services.
โWe will support citizens to engage the media and other accountability platforms to keep demanding for accountable governance and improved wash service provision from these officials over their tenure in office, the country director said.โ
