Ogbadibo local government area of Benue state is now open defecation free according to UNICEF. In this report, DANIEL AGBO writes on the success story.
Recently, the people of Ogbadibo local government area of Benue state rolled out their drums to celebrate their open defecation free (ODF) status. The occasion took place Friday 14th February 2020, at Otukpa, the local government headquarters.
To the people, it was a double celebration as the day coincided with St Valentine usually celebrated on February 14.
When the journey started
The journey, which led to the achievement of ODF by Ogbadibo, began in 2012 when it was selected among two other local governments in Benue for intervention in the Sanitation, Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) programme being implemented by UNICEF with financial support by DFID in collaboration with the federal and state governments.
To achieve the ODF status, it meant all households and public institutions in Ogbadibo had to end open defecation, imbibe the culture of always keeping a clean environment, constructed basic or modified toilets. It was hectic and rigorous process but the people must achieve it to enhance their sanitation and health status.
When the programme was kick-started, some critical stakeholders were introduced and integrated into the programme to fast-tract the process.
These included the LGA Water Sanitation and
Hygiene (WASH) unit which served as the implementing body, the youth and natural leaders were also identified from each community to serve as a means to reach all communities and ensure that the ODF message is understood by all.
Additionally, traditional leaders were able to form the sustaining structures preventing the ‘slippage’ of their communities back into practising open defecation. From each community or cluster, volunteers that were referred to as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Committee or WASHCOM emerged.
The committee ensured that the concept of ending open defecation was kept simple and clear so that there would be no defecation in the open with all latrines having drop cover that never allows flies to pass through. The people were also encouraged to keep soap and clean water, use ash in pit latrines and wash their hands properly after using the toilet.
BERWASSA and UNICEF which are the implementing partners supported the people to rally around this single agenda of ending open defecation.
The strategies adopted
The programme further leveraged on the support of traditional ruling council led by the Chief of Ogbadibo, HRH Agbo Enenche Ada Ogbadibo, to support the WASHCOMs and rally the people behind the agenda for improved sanitation and hygiene.
The soft approach of UNICEF allowed for prompt response to mutual and interactive learning. This was instrumental to bringing about accelerated success, quality delivery and cost effectiveness as non-functional, dogmatic methods and techniques were dropped, while new and improved ones were adopted, reviewed, and improved upon. The monitoring from start to end of the process was rigorous and consistent. The programme adhered to the national guidelines for verification of ODF.
This involved assessment by state level verification, and a formal validation by the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS).
Funding for this programme was made possible through a great arrangement between UNICEF/DFID and the federal Ministry of Water Resources.
The state government also released 50 Million naira counterpart funding for the programme, which led to its success.
Finally this led to the local government area to achieve ODF status. With the feat, Ogbadibo is now among the first 20 local governments to achieve ODF in Nigeria and among four declared as open defecation free in Benue.
With the new status of Ogbadibo, it is expected that the local government and its people would live in a clean environment devoid of open defecation and other health-related diseases associated with dirty environment.
UNICEF’s remarks
In a remark during the celebration attended by stakeholders, government officials, traditional rulers, school children and WASH manager, UNICEF Enugu Field Office Ms. Mamita Bora Thakkar, she said it was proved that open defecation has devastating consequences for public health.
According to her, faecal contamination of the environment and poor hygiene practices is the leading cause of child mortality, morbidity, under-nutrition and stunting and can potentially have negative effects on cognitive development.
She noted that poor sanitation could also be a barrier to education and economic opportunity, with women and girls often particularly vulnerable to the consequences of poor sanitation services.
Thakkar also disclosed that the North-central region is the highest in incidence of open defecation in the country with an average of 53.9%.
She further disclosed that, the NORM data of 2018-19 showed that 50% of the population in Benue, which is close to 2.9 million, practice open defecation and only 9% of the HHs have access to soap and water for hand washing.
According to her, the situation did not present an encouraging picture, but Ogbadibo was showing the way.
“14 out of the 23 local government areas in Benue are now putting efforts to become ODF, and to achieve the 2023 target. Already, four LGAs have been declared open defecation free.
“This is the third LGA in the state and is one of the 20 in the country out of the 774 LGAs.
“In Nigeria and Benue in particular, UNICEF, with the financial support of DFID has been consistently supporting the state government for to implement effective sanitation programmes,” she added.
Minister calls for sustenance
Also the minister of water resources and environment, Engr Suleiman Adamu,
commended the people of the LG for their commitment in making their environment devoid of open defecation through behavioural change.
The minister, who also presented certificate to officially certify the local government as ODF area, said Ogbadibo is the 10th in the country to receive certificate out of the 20 local governments declared ODF in the country.
The minister, who was represented by the deputy director (sanitation) in the ministry, Mr Emmanuel Eze, said the federal government, through the ministry recognises the fact that action to end open defecation in Nigeria would require the contribution and commitment of everyone.
He said the situation would ensure that the deliberate and sustained attention required to end open defecation in the country is given.
“It is expected that these collective actions would further the speedy attainment of an open defecation free Nigeria by 2025.
“In this regard, I commend the Ogbadibo local government for achieving ODF status and encourage you to sustain this achievement, as a relapse would deny you the inherent benefits,” the minister said.
It could be noted that with the ODF status of Ogbadibo, the people would now enjoy the benefits of living in an ODF environment which translates into increased socio-economic activities, reduction of school absenteeism, dignity, improved health and well-being.
Royal father’s joy
HRH Enenche expressed happiness over the feat achieved by the people of his domain.
He commended the stakeholders and government for helping the areas to achieve the status.
“We are happy for the support of DFID/UNICEF, federal government, Benue state government under the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom who enabled us to achieve open defecation free status.
“We are ODF but our people are facing the challenge of water which is key in sustaining the status and high sanitation.
“Therefore, we are calling on both the federal and state governments to provide portable water for the people,” he added.
A resident of the area, Igoche Festus, said before now, he never knew it was bad to defecate in the open.
He said “I have a family of six and all of us used to defecate in the bush, but now, the situation has changed.
“I have constructed my toilet and we no longer go to the bush to defecate because they told us that it was not hygienic and it can cause disease outbreak.”
A different story elsewhere
Although Ogbadibo people are happy to have achieved the ODF, the situations in majority of the local governments are however appalling
In Makurdi, the state capital for instance, people are seen defecating freely in the open.
Most of the public toilets constructed in some public places have been abandoned.
The main street leading to the state secretariat, the flower garden in Kenville Park, Major Street in Wadata, among others, areas suffer from open defecation. It is the same in other major towns like Katina Ala, Gboko, Otukpo, Adikpo, Zaki Biam, etc.
Lecturer urges LGs to emulate Ogbadibo
Iorliam Amaakaven a lecturer at the College of Education Katsina Ala, said the programme should be extended to cover all local government areas in the country.
“I have read in the newspaper that more than half of Benue population defecates in the open and I agree with that statement because right here in Makurdi, the state capital, a good number of the people still practice open defecation.
“We are happy that UNICEF and other partners are working to improve sanitation. I would like to advise other local government areas in the state to also emulate Ogbadibo and others like Logo, Gwer East, Agatu which have also achieved the open defecation free status in the state.
“We must not always expect people to tell us to live a healthy life and keep clean environment. Health they say is wealth. If all these four local governments can do it, others can,” he said.
