The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has expressed readiness to sustain the Open Defecation Free status in Jigawa.

Its chairman, Sibu Abdullahi, said this on Friday in Bauchi at the end of a two-day Post-ODF Assessment Dissemination, Strategy Implementation Progress Review and 2026 Sustainability Plan, held in Bauchi.

The exercise was organised by Jigawa State Ministry of Water Resources, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Mr Abdullahi, also the chairman of the Dutse council, said the 27 LGAs, in collaboration with the state government, would increase investment to maintain the ODF status.

He said the exercise was attended by senior officials of the councils as part of their commitment towards ensuring sustainable ODF status in the state.

“I believe by the level of commitment of UNICEF and Jigawa state government, and the level of our commitment as local government councils, we contributed not sixty per cent of the financial resources to see that the issue of ODF is being a success in the state,” he said.

According to Mr Abdullahi, the councils will take ownership of the initiative in championing the ODF campaign at the grassroots level.

“Thus, community members should own and mobilise to fully sustain the initiative in the state,” he said.

Muhammad Uba, Chairman of Birninkudu LGA, stated that the council has been provided with more toilets and water sources to enhance hygiene, sanitation, and public health in the area. He said the council had earmarked funds for ODF sustainability in the 2026 budget and engaged religious leaders to sensitise residents on the dangers associated with open defecation.

Stella Okafor-Terve, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene officer for UNICEF in Kano, said the exercise aimed to disseminate the post-OFD assessment results, plan for 2026, and review the progress made so far.

She stated that Jigawa achieved ODF status in 2022, adding that UNICEF supported the Jigawa government in developing post-ODF strategies in 2024.

“What are the existing gaps, and are we really on track. This is because the post-OFD strategies are targeted towards achieving safely managed and ensuring the sustainability of the ODF gains between last year and 2030.

“If you look at the safely managed, for instance, it is an area that when you look at it globally, we are targeting and taking households, state or local governments, from improved sanitation, from basic sanitation to safely managed.

“We are also looking at faecal sludge management, which has to deal with whole sanitation, especially ensuring its treatment, evacuation, transportation, and disposal in a hygienic manner. So it is a whole chain that we are targeting,” she said.

According to Mr Okafor-Terve, more than 90 per cent of the ODF sustainability activities lie with the LGAs.

(NAN)