New Toilets: A Boost to Open Defecation Free Campaign- Osodieme

The wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme) has said that the modern toilet facilities built in rural markets are meant to boost the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Campaign in the state. The wife of the Governor stated this Thursday during the Commissioning of three new toilets facilities and boreholes at Nkwo Umunze market, Orumba South Local Government Area, Oye Ufuma market in Orumba North Local Government Area and Oye Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area. The toilets are amongst the five built by her NGO, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) in partnership with the UNDP to promote hygiene in the markets as well as the dignity of the rural women.

Speaking at Ogbommanu, Nkwo, Umunze, Osodieme called on the women the women to take ownership and make effective use of the modern conveniences, avoid past practices of open urinating and defecation which are major sources of disease outbreak. She noted that apart from improving hygiene in the markets and good health of the communities, it also ensures that the environment becomes increasingly Open Defecation Free.

Said Osodieme to the market women, “It is well known that our governor has touched all the nooks and crannies of Anambra positively with his novel development programme for every community. This Market toilet project is my small way of supporting his efforts to improve the living standard of our people. We have built eleven of such facilities with borehole water in different markets. It is also a means of empowerment for women who will manage it to ensure its sustainability.”

Osodieme also thanked the UNDP for partnering CAFE to develop the project and urged other philanthropists to emulate the UNDP example and support CAFÉ projects. She highlighted other programmes completed by CAFÉ including; Training of 3600 women, widows and youth in various skills, construction free housing for ten widows, free surgeries to 45 children with cleft palate mouth disorder, treatment and care for mentally challenged persons among others programmes. Osodieme also reiterated her call on the market women while commissioning the Oye Ufuma and Umuawulu markets.

In her remark, Member Representing Orumba South Constituency in Anambra state House of Assembly, Princess Nikky Ugochukwu praised the courage and commitment of the wife of the governor for embarking on many life changing projects like the toilet, housing for widows and promoting the welfare of women and children. She also assured Osodieme that Orumba women are poised to reward her and her husband with massive support at the polls.

Various speakers including President Generals and Women Leaders of Umunze, Ufuma and Umuawulu communities thanked Osodieme for fulfilling her promise to build the toilets and assured of their unalloyed support for the governor to ensure continuity of development of Anambra state.

The sponsors of the project, UNDP works to improve the lives of the people of Nigeria, especially the poorest and most vulnerable, and to ensure a future that offers equality, dignity and opportunity for all. The partnership with CAFÉ in developing the modern public toilets is part of the UN agency’s collaboration with civil society and local communities to help identify local solutions to meet global and national development challenges.

Anambra is the first state in Nigeria to launch the ODF Roadmap, while Nigeria is among the nations in the world with the highest number of people practicing open defecation, estimated at over 46 million people. The practice has had negative effect on the populace, especially children, in the areas of health and education, and had contributed to the country’s failure to meet the global development target.

To stem the tide the National Council on Water Resources prioritized the development of a roadmap towards eliminating open defecation in the country, in line with the United Nations global campaign for ending open defecation. The initiative is tagged “Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025: A National Roadmap.”