In a significant move to enhance public health and environmental sustainability, the Plateau State Government has officially adopted a comprehensive Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) strategy.
The initiative, developed with technical support from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and sanitation experts, was endorsed during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement held in Jos.
The engagement brought together key representatives from government ministries, development partners, traditional institutions, media, and sanitation experts to deliberate on the adoption and statewide implementation of the FSM strategy.
Speaking at the event, the Plateau State Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, Alhaji Bashir Lawandi Datti—represented by Mr. Gonzaga Pam Badung—highlighted the urgency of addressing faecal waste challenges amid a rapidly growing population.
“The growing population demands a sustainable approach to sanitation,” he stated. “We are committed to raising awareness and mobilizing collective action to ensure the effective implementation of this strategy.”
Also addressing participants, Engineer Godfrey Nuhu Dashubar, General Manager of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), noted progress already made in faecal sludge management within the state.
He reiterated RUWASSA’s commitment to inclusive implementation, ensuring that the strategy accommodates the needs of persons with disabilities.
UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique—represented by Mr. Nanbam Dawap—affirmed the organization’s continued support for improving sanitation infrastructure and outcomes, particularly for women and children.
“Without a proper FSM system in place, the dream of becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF) will be difficult to realise,” she said.
“Open defecation continues to affect public health, especially for children, and contributes to disease outbreaks in underserved communities.”
She further pledged UNICEF’s support for initiatives addressing poor sanitation, flooding, and water scarcity, with a special focus on vulnerable populations.
In a technical presentation, Professor Ponchang Wuyep of the WASH Institute, University of Jos, outlined the core components of FSM, which include the safe collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal or reuse of faecal sludge—particularly in communities lacking centralized sewage systems.
“Effective management of faecal waste is essential for both public health and environmental protection,” he said.
“FSM, if properly harnessed, can also contribute to agricultural productivity and economic development through resource recovery and recycling.”
Professor Wuyep advocated for a paradigm shift from traditional sanitation models to circular systems that treat faecal waste as a resource rather than mere refuse.
Stakeholders at the engagement emphasized the importance of adequate funding, policy enforcement, and robust community participation to ensure the successful rollout of the FSM strategy across Plateau State.
The adoption of the FSM strategy marks a major milestone in Plateau’s efforts to improve sanitation and move closer to achieving Open Defecation Free status.
