President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation in the country by 2025.  It is entitled “The Open Defecation-Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters Order 2019.”

The Presidency said Buhari’s action became necessary because  Nigeria had been ranked the second country with the highest number of people practising open defecation. It stated that up to 46 million Nigerians practised open defecation, “a practice which has had a negative effect on the populace and has contributed to the country’s failure to meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals”.

It explained in a statement by presidential media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, that part of the strategies to end open defecation was to implement the National Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Action Plan to improve access to pipe borne water and hygiene.

 Order 009, which took effect from Wednesday, provides among others, “That by this Order, Nigeria is committed to being open defecation free by 2025. That the National Open Defecation Free Roadmap developed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources with support from other key sector players across Nigeria be put into effect.”

 “There is established in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources a National Secretariat called ‘Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat.’

 “The secretariat is authorised on behalf of the President to implement this Order by ensuring that all public places including schools, hotels, fuel stations, places of worship, market places, hospitals and offices have accessible toilets and latrines within their premises.”

The Punch