The Katsina Local Government Area in Katsina State has officially initiated a comprehensive two-week campaign aimed at eradicating the practice of open defecation across its 290 communities.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Isah Miqdad, unveiled this ambitious initiative, titled “A New Chapter for Katsina LG,” during a ceremony held on Wednesday.
He detailed that the program is designed to integrate community sensitisation, public awareness drives, and extensive sanitation exercises with the overarching goals of safeguarding public health and restoring a sense of dignity within the community.
Miqdad revealed that a team of over seventy sanitation workers has been mobilised and deployed to execute the campaign’s objectives.
Their tasks include identifying and remediating open defecation sites, rehabilitating refuse dumps, and conducting thorough clean-ups of public spaces throughout the local government area.
The chairman articulated a clear and significant goal for this effort: to secure a formal Open Defecation Free (ODF) certification from UNICEF and other relevant international agencies, a process he acknowledged would be rigorous.
Highlighting the severe public health implications, Miqdad warned that open defecation is a primary contributor to the spread of dangerous diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea.
He noted that these illnesses collectively cost Nigeria an estimated 1.3% of its annual Gross Domestic Product, framing the campaign as a critical measure for both changing deeply ingrained habits and saving lives.
He issued a strong appeal to religious and traditional leaders, youth organisations, and civil society groups to actively take ownership of the campaign by spreading its message within their spheres of influence, emphasising that their voices are essential for its success.
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