Adegboyega Adeniyi

Poor sanitation and hygiene are reasons why Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states recorded the worst cases of cholera epidemic in year 2021.

While Zamfara, alongside Abia state has the best record of only two percent open defecation, Kebbi and Sokoto states has eighteen percent of their population practicing open defecation.

Available records also indicates that while twenty four percent of public places in Nigeria have sanitation facilities, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara has thirty five, forty one and thirty eight percents access respectively, to basic sanitation services.

UNICEF Field Officer, Maulid Wards, at a collaboration meeting with state government of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara stated that, the goal of the 2021 World Toilet Day, is to achieve open defecation free society.

According to him, “open defecation, poor hygiene, is the cause of child diseases such as malnutrition, poor cognitive ability, cholera.

“With a total of 9.67million people in these three states not having access access to a basic toilet, it is only right to say that Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states are among those experiencing sanitation crisis.

Maulid however, remarked that while Kebbi SUBEB in partnership with the state government has constructed more than one hundred toilet facilities in schools and health centers, Zamfara is in the lead on waste management to check cholera and diseases outbreak in the state.