Caleb Onwe 
The Federal Government has said it would collaborate with state governors to reinforce the campaign against open defecation across the country.
This, it said would be achieved through collaboration with Development Partners, and renewed commitment towards the propagation of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in the Country.
This disclosure was made by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev during the ongoing 3rd National Retreat on ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign’ in Abuja.
The Minister noted that all stakeholders were also working to uphold the ideals of the Clean Nigeria Campaign (CNC) which was Launched in 2019 following the Presidential Executive Order 009.
The Minister noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to the Campaign’s objectives evident in the reinauguration of the Campaign’s Steering Committee in July 2024, under the leadership of Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and the launch of the Revised Implementation Strategy 2025-2030 among others.
Utsev commended the progress made so far, noting that as of January 2025, 142 Local Government Areas across 20 states had been declared open defecation-free and stressed the need for State Governments to accelerate efforts, as they are the key drivers of the Campaign, urging them to demonstrate greater commitment by investing financial and human resources necessary to meet the Campaign’s ambitious targets.
He said, said “ that this strategy provides a comprehensive roadmap for stakeholders, addressing key bottlenecks identified during the Campaign’s implementation and accelerating progress toward the goal”
According to him, “The revised strategy is anchored on six critical pillars, designed to drive innovation and collaboration across all levels of government, strengthen private sector participation, and enhance the efforts of development partners and other key stakeholders”.
