World Toilet Organization Names Nigeria As 2022 Host
Nicholas Igwe, the National Coordinator of the Organized Private Sector, Water and Sanitation Hygiene (OPS-WASH), has revealed the reason as to why the World Toilet Organization has named Nigeria, The 2022 World host of the World Toilet Day. Mr. Igwe said that the international consensus on Nigeria was that because it had demonstrated its political will on ensuring an open defecation free country, no better country could host the 2022 edition of World programme in sanitation.
This was said to the Nigerian Ministers of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Health, Osagie Ehanire and Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen amongst others in Abuja.
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“As you are probably aware, Nigeria will be Hosting the next World Toilet Summit, it is the first time that Nigeria will host it and the second time in Africa. The first time was in 2013, in South Africa, and this year, 18 and 19 of November, it will be in Nigeria. So the whole world will be coming to Nigeria. Founder of WTO clearly stated that they chose Nigeria because of their strong political will. The multi stakeholders arrangement that we are having today, speaks to this. They have been monitoring Nigeria, and they say that there is no other country that will be able to host apart from Nigeria. Five European countries have registered, three from the USA, one from Columbia to come as a sponsor.”
He said that sanitation was a key component of development and it had the capacity to catapult Nigeria from a developing world to a developed nation when it got the issue of water right in all its ramifications. Mr. Igwe told the Ministers that, “The theme of this year’s Water and World Toilet Day is on Economy and Sanitation.” He further stressed that “Singapore is there from third world country to first world country because of getting water sanitation and hygiene right, and that is what is going to be the theme.
In his own words, “Without proper sanitation, water and hygiene. We cannot talk about a robust economy.”
It should also be noted that the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu was honoured with the award for what it described as “Outstanding Contributions” to WaterAid by His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
