Enugu– UNICEF WASH Specialist Officer, Mr. Ebri Eteng Ibor, on Thursday engaged Civil Society Organizations in Enugu State under the auspices of Society for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (NEWSAN) in a meeting to set an agenda for the year.
While Addressing the members, at the meeting held at Residency Hotel, Enugu, Mr. Ibor stated that UNICEF supported the state to develop a WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) master plan that will facilitate the actualization of its commitment to eradicate open defecation in the state and stressed the need for NEWSAN to support the state to activate the plan and activities that will accelerate the eradication of ODF in communities in the state.
He equally noted that “No toilet in schools, is a breach of human rights. You can’t convene public meeting of Upto 300 persons without having toilets (mobile toilets). He explained that 14 out of 17 Local Government councils in Enugu State have passed the Anti open Defecation byelaw, which he said would enable prosecution of defiant communities and individuals
Enwelum Ogechukwu U. (Esq.), the State Coordinator of NEWSAN in her response expressed appreciation to UNICEF for taking thr initiative to engage members of the network. She noted that the state government had taken appreciable steps in the WASH sector and that members of NEWSAN are willing to support the actualization of it’s commitments and producing an open defecation state. She called the attention of all partners to support the capacity building of NEWSAN members in the state and enabling environment to effectively deliver its mandate.
The meeting provided the opportunity to consider priorities for implementation in the first quarter of the year which NEWSAN members are to embark on.
Organisations that attended the meeting include: DEDASRI, GHARF, YSCI, WOSOCONET, SSDO, Town Crier Initiative, NEWARI, WEPBI, THSI-N, CALL, GSAC, Igwe Africa, Centre for Innovation and Pragmatic Dev., Radio Nigeria Coal City FM
