According to a report, the amount of funding given to the Bauchi State Government by UNICEF for the toilet industry has quadrupled from N20 million to around N80 million.
This information was shared during a WASH stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi on Tuesday.
The funds were loaned to toilet business operators, who then distributed them to households for constructing improved toilets.
As a result, WASH sector stakeholders are urging other states to adopt the UNICEF Sanitation Pool Fund Initiative in Bauchi to enhance household construction of improved toilets and combat open defecation in Nigeria.
This appeal emerged from a one-day workshop organized by WaterAid Nigeria, which aimed to validate and share the Bauchi State WASH situational assessment report. The event took place in Bauchi and included representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, donors, and the media.
The stakeholders praised the Bauchi State Government for its effective management of the funds and called for the initiative to be implemented in other states to promote an open defecation-free society.
During the presentation of the report to stakeholders, Kolawole Banwo, Head of Advocacy, Policy, and Communication at WaterAid Nigeria, emphasized the findings, mentioning that access to basic sanitation in Bauchi State is at 60%, surpassing the national average of 46% and the regional average of 51%.
“Apart from this, the presence of handwashing facilities with soap on premises is about 19%, above the regional and national averages of 12% and 17%, respectively,” he noted.
The report highlighted gaps in leadership within agencies like BASTOWA, the Bauchi State Water Services and Regulatory Commission, and RUWASA, leading to management challenges.
Banwo recommended the appointment of substantive leaders to avert management crises.
Additionally, the workshop suggested the government enhance the role of sanitation champions and improve the current policy document to address sanitation governance effectively.
Eng. Mustapha Ahmed Samaila, spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources and Permanent Secretary, commended WaterAid for their project and assured the government’s commitment to implementing the report’s recommendations for progress in the WASH sector.
