More people have access to mobile phones than toilet facilities in
Nigeria, UNICEF’s Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Zaid
Jurji, has said.
Speaking yesterday at a two-day media dialogue on European Union
(EU) Niger Delta Water Project in Port Harcourt, River State, Zaid said
it is important for Nigeria triple her investment in water sanitation
and hygiene to achieve the SDG water and sanitation target of 2030.
Quoting the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) report released
in January 2018, Zaid said 140 million Nigerians have access to
telephone facilities while only 97 million have access to toilets
facilities.
He added that though people need cell phone because it has improved
a lot in the area of communication, hygiene is most important to
environmental and human health.
Zaid also said Nigeria remains number one country in Africa in the
practise of Open Defecation, adding that investment in WASH is
profitable for all.
“The real cost of Open Defecation in Nigeria are disease and
death, stunting, wasting, and malnutrition, loss of dignity, privacy and
security, reduced school attendance, productivity and loss of GDP,” he said.
He further said N234 billion is needed from the government for the
realisation of Open Defecation Free zone in Nigeria while adding that
poor government and counterpart funding has been threatening WASH
projects across the country.