WaterAid Nigeria says, ‘100m Nigerians lack access to improved sanitation’

An International Agency, WaterAid Nigeria, has said over 100 million Nigerians still lack access to improved sanitation.

The agency said that basic access to sanitation and hygiene continues to drop from 37 per cent in 1990 to 28 per cent in 2012, despite government’s claim that access to sanitation is at 41 per cent.

The Country Representative of the agency in Nigeria, Dr. Michael Ojo, stated these in a press statement in Abuja.

The statement quoted Dr. Ojo saying that 60 million Nigerians lack access to improved water sources.

He explained that 68, 000 children, under the age of five, die from diseases caused by poor level of access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Dr. Ojo said: “Only 28 per cent of the population has access to basic sanitation (Over 100 million people have no access to improved sanitation).

“Nigeria is one of a handful of countries around the world where access to basic sanitation is actually falling rather than rising; down from 37 per cent in 1990 to 32 per cent in 2000 and just 28 per cent in 2012. 23 per cent practice open defecation (nearly 40 million people) 36 per cent lack access to improved water sources (over 60 million)

“Around 68,000 children under the age of five in Nigeria die from diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

“We must continue to demand that our leaders embrace new and ambitious policies that will eradicate poverty, inequality and change the future of Nigerians for the better.”