Jigawa reaffirms commitment to sustaining Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status

Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi has reaffirmed the administration’s steadfast commitment to sustaining the Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status recently achieved by the state.

The governor made this statement when the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) monitoring team paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Dutse.

Upon receiving the team, Governor Namadi described the visit as not only important but timely, stressing that the achievement of ODF status was no small feat, and sustaining it would require even greater effort, resources, and innovation.

“The open defecation-free (ODF) status we have attained was not an effortless feat. Attaining it is difficult, but sustaining it is even more challenging. I want to assure you that the Jigawa State Government has put in place comprehensive strategies, backed by strong commitment and resources, to ensure the sustainability of our ODF status,” he said.

He revealed that the state has established a high-level Steering Committee and a Technical Committee comprising key permanent secretaries and professionals to oversee and monitor the sanitation and hygiene programme which, he noted, underlines the state’s seriousness in maintaining cleanliness and public health standards.

Highlighting concrete interventions, the governor announced that the state is constructing toilets in public schools and markets across the state and also disclosed a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement for the maintenance of market toilets, where private managers are offered subsidies in return for keeping the facilities clean and functional.

This approach, according to him, ensures accountability and preserves the investment in sanitation infrastructure.

“When it is managed by the private sector, they see it as a means of livelihood. They will maintain it better than if it is run by the government alone.”

On the broader sanitation and environmental sustainability efforts, Mr Namadi mentioned that over five million trees were planted in the previous year, and the same target has been set for the current year, reiterating that every public outing by the governor now includes a component that promotes environmental protection.

The governor emphasised that flood control remains a priority for the administration, with task forces at both state and local levels proactively working on mitigation.

“Regarding flood control, we are proactive. The Ministry of Environment and a dedicated Flood Mitigation Task Force are working hard to prevent flooding. We have both state and local task forces — the state team includes external experts in water management. They continuously advise the government on best practices. Local task forces implement these recommendations by creating barricades and other physical interventions to divert floodwaters away from communities.”

He assured that Jigawa State would remain a beacon of progress in sanitation, health, and environmental resilience, with other states drawing lessons from its approach.

Governor Namadi then expressed appreciation to the NTGS team for their diligence and commitment, urging them to continue engaging with local communities to deepen the impact of their interventions.

“Once again, thank you for visiting Jigawa State. We appreciate your diligence — not only did you visit, but you went around and engaged directly with the people. The feedback you gathered from beneficiaries is invaluable.”

Earlier in his remarks, the NTGS Team Leader, Benson Attah, commended Jigawa State for achieving the ODF status, calling it a landmark achievement and a model for other states, urging the state to maintain this momentum through consistent policies, community involvement, and infrastructural investments.

Mr Attah also praised the level of political will shown by Governor Namadi’s administration, saying that it has created an enabling environment for impactful WASH initiatives.

“I would like to commend Your Excellency for your commitment and the political will you have shown toward the improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the state. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been any need to dispatch members of the National Task Group on Sanitation to conduct a monitoring visit to assess the sustainability of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in your state. So, we congratulate you on this—for giving the state all the necessary support.”

He pledged continued technical support from development partners to help Jigawa sustain and build upon its progress.