Abuja -The Chairman, National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), Mr Samuel Ome, says efforts are on to meet Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) needs in Internally Displaced Persons camps in the North East.
Ome made this known in Abuja on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to him, persons living in the Internally Displaced Persons Camps in the North East are in continuous need of water and accessible toilets facilities, which should not be ignored.
He said although inadequate funds was still a challenge, development partners such as UN Children’s Fund and the UN High Commission on Refugees was ready to partner with the group to make it a reality.
Ome said WASH activities needed to be scaled up in such camps to reduce possible outbreak of preventable diseases and death.
He said access to water and sanitation was known to reduce incidences of preventable death, adding that it was necessary to scale up actions to these needs.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The chairman said globally, no fewer than 500, 000 children die annually from preventable diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation.
According to him, 10 per cent of the world’s population live without access to drinking water.
He said it was important for all stakeholders to play their part to ensure that Nigerians live healthy, dignified and productive lives.
Ome, however, stressed the need for Nigeria to have clear plans and programmes on water and sanitation, which will enable it to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
He also added that there is the need for all tiers of government to take ownership of improving WASH service to all Nigerians.
NAN reports that NTGS, which is being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, draws its membership from sanitation officers, development partners, Ministries of Environment, Health and Education. (NAN)