BEING TEXT OF SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF NIGERIA (ALGON), AND EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF UCLG-AFRICA HON. KOLADE ALABI DAVID AT THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS DAY AT THE UN WATER CONFERENCE, NEW YORK CITY, USA ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 THEME RENEWED GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER.

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation; it was a global acknowledgment that access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are essential to the realization of all human rights.

According to the Global and National Health Authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), safely managed WASH services, particularly hygiene, form an essential part of preventing and protecting people during infectious disease outbreaks and good hygiene practices are therefore recommended as the first line of protection from infectious diseases.

Permit me to begin with Africa and the challenges therein:

a. Water is prominent in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), health, Agriculture and overall wellbeing of humanity, it affects amongst others. ( 418 million still the lack basic drinking water services 779 million lack basic sanitation services. ( 208 million still practice open defecation. ( 839 million lack basic hygiene services.

b. While villages in rural areas drain dangerous sub-surface water for their daily use. The poor water management in cities is worsening the water crisis.

c. Our Nationals face physical and economic water scarcity. Other challenges related to population growth and climate change. In addition, we face many water related risks including droughts and floods that cause approximately 70% of disaster related economic losses.

d. Poor water sanitation indices such as poverty, lack of political will, limited or no community participation, inadequate gender inclusion, unreliable data and most importantly lack of integrated approach between various stakeholders, government, private sector and civil society and above all lack of continued advocacy.

e. As population spirals upwardly without control, contributors like urbanization affect bodies of water, scarcity and pollution continue to get worse.

f. On the average, 23.5% of Africa population defecate in the open. Furthermore, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, which is now endemic, Good WASH services served as a barrier to human-to-human transmission of the Covid-19 virus in homes, communities, healthcare facilities, schools and other public spaces. This demonstrated that safe management of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is critical to preventing and protecting human health during infectious disease outbreaks. Whereas, if WASH had been put into our daily life the COVID’19 insurgence which was alien to Africa would have been less incidental more so, that our few Primary Healthcare Centers would have been able to cope with the number of incidents. Hence, it would have reduced the mortality quotients. The panacea to the limitations above are: a. Enhancing government for more effective policies and implementation of water management water use efficiency and sanitation. b. Sensitize and mobilize everyone to accept WASH because water affects all. c. The need to accelerate conformity towards SDG (Water and Sanitation) and other related goals and targets. It is at this juncture that I wish to share with this august gathering Nigeria’s progress so far in achieving the “Goal 6” of the Sustainable Development Goals.

SERVICE LEVEL ( Water Supply o 67% of Nigeria population have access to Basic Water Supply Services. o 179 million people lack access to safe drinking water. ( Sanitation o 46% of citizens have access to Basic Sanitation Services. o 48 million practice Open Defecation. One in every four Nigerians defecate in the open. Distinguished participants, let me highlight some milestones by the central government. ( On 8 th November 2018, there was a Presidential launch of National Action Plan and Declaration of a “State of Emergency” in WASH. (Executive Governors of 34 States including Bayelsa State in the South/South region signed the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) protocol expressing interest to partner with the Federal Government in WASH intervention in rural areas of their States.

The program has been implemented in 2 States; Kano and Ogun States as pilot, it is further being implemented in 17 other States. ( Approval of “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign” by the Federal Executive Council to End Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025 (May 2019). (The Steering Committee of the Clean Nigeria Campaign was inaugurated in June 2020 by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has my humble self as a member of the committee. (The Clean Nigeria Pledge Card has been signed by 20 out of 36 Federating States including Ogun State indicating their commitment to support the Clean Nigeria Campaign and to End Open Defecation. (The Organized Private Sector in Water Sanitation and Hygiene (OPSWASH) was inaugurated in October 2019, to coordinate the activities of the Private Sector across the Country and to support the Central Government to end open defecation in Nigeria and WASH in general.

You may wish to ask as I stand before you, what is our Association (ALGON) doing to support the Clean Nigeria Campaign? The expected role of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the national campaign will include but not limited to the following. ( Provide strong leadership for the implementation of the Clean Nigeria Campaign in their LGAs – influence LGA leadership to have a staff team for Open Defecation Free Campaign. ( Establish/Strengthen LGA Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Department/Push for and commit fund for the existing WASH Units toward being Open Defecation Free as well as support the establishment of one where none exists! (Identify, engage and collaborate with partners and stakeholders in the implementation of LGA Open Defecation Free activities.

(Influence LGA leadership to: – Plan specific activities to end Open Defecation in the LGA – Work with the traditional and religious leaders towards ending Open Defecation. – Partner with private sector to construct toilets in public places within their LGA. – Work closely with development partners & Corporate Service Organizations in their respective LGAs.

• Implement specific activities that contribute to the objectives of the Clean Nigeria Campaign in their LGAs. ( Thereof, include sanitation facilities as an integral part of developmental projects in the LGAs in line with Executive Order No. 9 (to end Open Defecation in the country by 2025). ( Data Collation, Monitoring and Evaluation of WASH activities in LGAs.

In my capacity as the National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the following actions have been recommended to accelerate progress of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign. ( High level advises to all LGA Chairmen to upgrade Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Units at Local Government to departments with budget allocation and adequate releases for provision of sustainable WASH services at the grassroots. ( Support LGA administration to enact laws prohibiting Open Defecation with detailed implementation plan as well as enforcement. ( Support Constitution of LGA Task Team for Sanitation ( Support the construction of Sanitation Facilities across all Markets and Motor Parks on a PPP arrangement for sustainability and for job creation to enhance the sanitation economy. ( Support and build capacity of Toilet Business Owners to strengthen sanitation supply chain especially for improved sanitation options. In Conclusion, WASH is critical in maintaining the dignity of human life and keeping communities healthy and productive. ( ALGON in collaboration with government at all levels must continue to promote and prioritize disease prevention through adequate and equitable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services. ( Engage in actions that will curtail the spread of diseases and focus on hygiene behavior change interventions.
ALGON will take urgent action(s) in implementing the key recommendations proposed to strengthen its water, sanitation and hygiene service delivery systems, in collaboration with relevant sectors and stakeholders. The Local Governments will also put in place a framework to effectively key into impact-based interventions such as the Clean Nigeria Campaign to accelerate progress in healthy and positive living of its citizens and for the development of the State Sanitation Economy. On this note, I thank you most profoundly for the extended invitation to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and for your most valued attention.

My assurances as always.