Enugu State’s WASH Stakeholders paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr. Felix Nnamani. The delegation, led by WaterAid Nigeria, included South Saharan Social Development Organization, SSDO, and various CSOs.
The team used the opportunity to discuss and agree on a roadmap for partnership with the state government to deepen WASH service delivery in Enugu State. And shared insights into the team’s initiatives.
Key issues brought to the notice of the commissioner include:
– Implementation of the Enugu State Water Sector Law 2021.
– Declaring a state of emergency in the sanitation sector to fast-track the Open Defecation Free Vision 2025.
– Sustainability and strengthening of the WASH Sector Partnership Forum.
These and more were discussed during the meeting. Representing SSDO were the Head of Programs, Udochukwu Egwim, and the Finance and Admin Manager, Amaka Okoye. SSDO is committed to improving access to WASH facilities for residents of Enugu state.
South Saharan Social Development Organization, in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria, organized a 6-day environmental health club training to strengthen the capacity of sixty teachers from thirty schools on Hygiene Behavioral Change campaign intervention package under the Hygiene Behavioral Change Coalition Phase II project in Enugu State.
This training equipped the teachers to form environmental health clubs in their different schools to promote good hygiene among students and teachers. The training was facilitated by Water and Sanitation Hygiene consultants Dr Ifeoma Chukwuma, Dr Umoh Boniface and Mrs Jessica Ezeime.
The training covered topics such as hygiene promotion for children, disease transmission routes, food hygiene, menstrual hygiene management, safe water chain, sanitation and waste management, and establishment of environmental health clubs, amongst other topics.
Participants at the training include teachers, students, school-based management committee members, and representatives from the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board. Participants were better equipped to manage their hygiene, learn new behavioral habits, and be change agents.
Enugu’s topography posits a perennial water scarcity challenge. This has led to a drastic water price hike, affecting residents’ daily lives. This scarcity affects the return of farmers, causes women and girls to walk long distance, and affect children’s education.
About half of the state’s residents lack access to basic water services. This poor access increases poverty, poor health, and stunted growth for children. We call on stakeholders to accelerate change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.
This scarcity results in inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene practices. People hence result to open defecation and recycling dirty water. Using this contaminated water increases the risks of cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, and typhoid.
As we commemorate #WorldWaterDay, under the theme, “Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crisis,” we draw the attention of stakeholders and the government to the perennial water scarcity Enugu residents face.
Understanding this challenge, South Saharan Social Development Organization, in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria, Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB), Small Town Unit-Ministry of Water Resources, and Igboeze North LGA WASH Unit, commemorated World Water Day in Igbo-Eze North LGA through a community stakeholder engagement.
The event aimed to trigger schools and community members on the effects of Open Defecation and raise awareness on hygiene through the Hygiene Behavioral Change exercises. Dignitaries present include commissioners from different ministries, council chairs, traditional rulers, president generals, and community and women leaders. Going forward, this sensitization engagement will help eliminate open defecation and improve the personal hygiene of the community members.
The success of any project is hinged on the ability of the stakeholders to liaise effectively to deliver cross-cutting solutions that will ultimately improve the lives of beneficiaries.
Understanding the importance of partnership to the growth of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector in Enugu state, South Saharan Social Development Organization, in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria, organized a WASH sector stakeholder engagement in collaboration with the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN) Enugu State chapter, and Small Town Unit (STU) –Ministry of Water Resources.
The meeting’s objective was to remove sectional barriers in WASH-related interventions across the state and to harmonize and improve the dissemination of WASH activities across partners. Participants at the event include civil society organizations, government agencies, and media agencies.
The key outcome of the event was the development and endorsement of the group’s action plans which centered on the following:
Going forward, the group hopes to conduct advocacy visits to the incoming government and improve its joint efforts to consolidate progress in the WASH sector. Ultimately improving access to water and sanitation facilities in the state.
Over 47 million Nigerians still practice open defecation (OD), and Enugu state is not exempted as about 47 percent of the populace still practice open defecation. This is a pointer to the lack of proper toilet infrastructure and water facilities, especially in rural communities.
Understanding this challenge and looking to ensure its eradication, South Saharan Social Development Organization, in partnership with WaterAid Nigeria and the Enugu State Ministry of Water Resources, Small Town Units, organized a Community Stakeholder Engagement on Ending Open Defecation in Igbo Eze North LGA. Participants include traditional rulers, Local Government Area (LGA) legislative council representatives, president generals, and community and women leaders.
The engagement aimed to gather stakeholders’ commitment to enacting and domesticating a bye-law against open defecation in the LGA. As well as to develop action plans and roles of the community leaders in achieving open defecation. Participants analyzed the effects of open defecation on the community and how to tackle it.
OBJECTIVE OF THE EVENT
– To conduct open defecation triggering on stakeholders.
– To agree on action plans for execution in the coming weeks.
– To get the buy-in of all stakeholders to institute bye-laws prohibiting open defecation.
The STU Assistant Sanitarian then began the triggering session. She asked four community stakeholders to join her on the premises, where they identified feces and scooped some to be used for the demonstration. She continued the triggering process by inviting a community member to drink water from a new bottle. Then she contaminated the water with feces and asked the participant to drink the water again, to which he refused. She did this with other participants, and all refused.
She asked why they refused. Different participants stated that it was now contaminated and unfit for drinking. She explained why open defecation is bad and drew inferences from their responses. She took contributions and asked the community members what could be done to remediate that, and ideas were put forward.
ACTION POINTS AND ROLES OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS
Construction and usage of toilet facilities in every home.
Constant sanitation efforts to keep the surroundings clean.
Putting an end to open defecation in bushes.
Creation of awareness on the usage of toilets in the homes.
Proper food hygiene is maintained in the homes.
Establishment of toilet facilities in public places (hospitals, schools, Markets, motor parks).
Establishment of community bye-laws to prohibit open defecation.
Sensitization of traditional rulers on promulgating sanitation bye-laws in the community during their monthly meetings.
Imposing fines on defaulters who fail to provide toilets and defecate in open spaces.
Anyone defecating in open spaces should be handed over to the community security outfit.
All participants should take the message home and ensure that the above resolution is implemented in their immediate environment.
Traditional rulers, the legislative council representative, and the council secretary representative agreed to a three months time frame to produce the sanitation bye-laws.
The Chairman of the Traditional Rulers’ Council in Igboeze North LGA, Igwe Gabriel Agbedo, said that the traditional rulers supported stopping open defecation after the enlightenment got on its serious negative health and financial consequences to the people.
Agbedo said having a defecation-free environment is possible, and the traditional rulers would totally key into it from its general meeting on Feb. 22.
“As agreed by all stakeholders we have to do it for its overwhelming benefits. Everybody wants to live a healthy life and spend less on hospital and medication,” he said.
He says, “We are happy over this advocacy and enlightenment brought to our doorsteps by these non-governmental organizations and the state government.”
We will also know as traditional rulers within each community where we needed community efforts to set-up toilets in public places such as markets, worship centers, and schools,” he said.
Contributing, Mr. Collins Idoko, a Councilor in the LGA, said that enlightenment on ending open defecation is clear, and he would take the message and resolution back to the council’s legislative council.
“I will assist in spreading the benefits; and other benefits that NGOs can attract to our council area as well as ensure that through the legislative council, we push for a bye-law against open defecation within the council area.”
“It might take us time beyond three months due to the elections and most of my colleagues are so much engaged in the ongoing political electioneering,” Idoko, who represented the leader of the council legislative house, said.
At the end of the engagement, the traditional rulers, legislative council representatives, and the council secretary representative agreed to develop a bye-law to eradicate open defecation in Igbo-Eze North LGA. As well as intensify efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene awareness in the LGA.
