The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has expressed its commitment to working closely with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation to scale up implementation of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign.
The collaboration aims 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. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during an advocacy visit by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, in Abuja Tuesday.
The Head of Service commended the ministry for its dedication to the sanitation agenda.
She expressed continued solidarity with the ministry, recalling her tenure as Permanent Secretary.
She 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 personal and institutional support for the success of the campaign.
The Head of Service praised the minister for prioritising collaboration and partnership as key strategies for achieving the campaign’s goals.
“The key to this campaign’s success lies in collaboration, partnership, and sensitization. With these three elements, funding becomes significantly less burdensome,” she said.
The Head of Service said the OHCSF had developed a new policy titled Protocol on the Use of Federal Secretariat Buildings, which includes provisions for the availability and maintenance of functional toilets, including those accessible to persons with disabilities.
She said the policy is currently undergoing concurrence processes and will be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval. Also speaking, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, said 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 is well positioned to scale up results. He said the civil service, as the engine of government operations, can lead sanitation and hygiene reforms, influence public attitudes and set national standards.
He stressed the need for implementation of action points to institutionalise 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.
