As part of efforts to promote improved sanitation and hygiene across Nigeria, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has expressed its commitment to working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to scale up implementation of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign.
The collaboration aimed to eliminate open defecation, prevent waterborne diseases, and improve public health, with the overarching objective of achieving an Open Defecation Free (ODF) Nigeria by 2030 and attaining Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 on access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.
The renewed commitment was highlighted by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack, during an advocacy visit by the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, to her office on Tuesday.
In her remarks, the HCSF commended the Honourable Minister and the entire Water Family for their ongoing dedication to the sanitation agenda. She expressed her continued solidarity with the Ministry, recalling her tenure as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
Walson-Jack also applauded the progress made by the Ministry under the current Administration, particularly the certification of 47 additional Local Government Areas (LGAs) as ODF, bringing the total to 148 LGAs.
She emphasised the need for intensified advocacy and sensitization to drive further progress, and pledged both personal and institutional support for the success of the campaign.
The HCSF lauded the Honourable Minister for prioritising collaboration and partnership as key strategies for achieving the campaign’s goals, adding, “The key to this campaign’s success lies in collaboration, partnership, and sensitisation. With these three elements, funding becomes significantly less burdensome.”
Walson-Jack also disclosed that the OHCSF had developed a new policy titled Protocol on the Use of Federal Secretariat Buildings, which included provisions for the availability and maintenance of functional toilets, including those accessible to persons with disabilities. The policy is currently undergoing concurrence processes and will be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
In his remarks, the Minister stated that the purpose of the visit was to reinforce institutional collaboration with the OHCSF on the Clean Nigeria Campaign.
He stressed the strategic role of the Civil Service in driving behavioural change and policy implementation, noting that with 148 LGAs already certified as ODF and Katsina State having full ODF status, the Civil Service was well-positioned to scale up results.
According to him, the Civil Service, as the engine of government operations, can lead sanitation and hygiene reforms, influence public attitudes, and set national standards.
To this end, the Minister proposed several action points to institutionalize the campaign across MDAs, including; Issuance of circulars or administrative guidelines mandating provision and maintenance of adequate sanitation facilities; integration of sanitation and hygiene indicators into performance assessments; use of the OHCSF platform to increase awareness across the workforce; ensuring clean, safe, and accessible toilet facilities in all government buildings; promotion of a “No Open Defecation” culture among staff, visitors, and service users; and designation and observance of a Clean Nigeria Campaign Week by MDAs.
Present at the advocacy visit were senior officials from both institutions, including the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa; Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Mrs. Patience Oyekunle and other Permanent Secretaries in the OHCSF; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Civil Service Matters, Mr. Alfred Abah; Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secreta
