The Gombe State Government has stepped up efforts to end open defecation, with the Commissioner for Water Resources, Nasiru Adamu Degri, directing the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, to ensure that all local government areas, LGAs, and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, attain Open Defecation-Free, ODF, status.
Degri gave the directive on Thursday when he received the management of RUWASSA during a familiarisation meeting with agencies, projects and programmes under the Ministry of Water Resources.
The commissioner described the ODF certification of Dukku, Shongom and Nafada LGAs as a significant achievement in the state's efforts to improve sanitation and public health.
He urged the agency to build on the progress and extend the certification to every local government and council development area in Gombe.
Degri said: “The certification of Dukku, Shongom and Nafada LGAs as Open Defecation-Free is a significant achievement that will strengthen the state government's drive towards improved sanitation and public health.”
He further charged RUWASSA to intensify its activities to ensure that the remaining local councils attain the same status.
The commissioner also assured the agency of his commitment to sustaining cooperation and effective partnerships, while emphasising the importance of transparency, due process, integrity and proper documentation in implementing government programmes.
Earlier, RUWASSA's General Manager and Project Coordinator, Muhammad Gibraimu Ahmed, congratulated Degri on his appointment and pledged the agency's full cooperation in achieving the ministry's objectives.
Ahmed explained that the agency's mandate covered rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion, adding that it was implementing several interventions.