UNICEF Bemoans Devastating Health Impact Of Poor Practices Around Faecal Sludge Disposal 

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has lamented that poor practices around fecal sludge disposal have presented a devastating health impact on people, especially children and women.

The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Tushar Rane, lamented this in his remarks at the Strategy Development Workshop on Climate-Resilient Faecal Sludge Management and Operative Guidelines for Bauchi State yesterday in Bauchi. 

The workshop was organised by the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) in collaboration with the Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) and with support from UNICEF and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

The workshop aims to support the development of a Climate Resilient Faecal Sludge Management Strategy and Operative Guidelines for Bauchi State.

The strategy documents will present service delivery approaches and enabling environment changes needed to implement the change needed to implement and regulate safe fecal sludge Management in both rural and urban areas of Bauchi State.

The Chief of the UNICEF Field Office expressed confidence that the strategy document that will be developed from the workshop will present approaches for service delivery and the enabling environment needed to implement and regulate safe FSM in the state. 

Tushar Rane added that It will also include protocols for FSM, as well as technical guidelines, standard operating procedures, monitoring and evaluation framework, and the estimated investments needed for FSM.

He further stated that the outcome of the workshop is envisaged to serve as the operational guidelines for all the service providers and relevant stakeholders within the fecal sludge management value chain (containment, emptying, transport, treatment, safe reuse, or disposal).

To achieve the above outcome, he called on the Bauchi state government to initiate a deliberate policy that will ensure the effective management of fecal sludge. 

He assured that UNICEF, with the generous support of BMGF will continue to work closely with the Bauchi State Government and other development partners to encourage safe and environment-friendly faecal sludge management.  

This, he said, will further contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. 

According to him, “it is worthy of note that Bauchi is a leading state in the implementation of WASH related interventions in Nigeria especially in Faecal Sludge Management.”

He stressed that, “Presently, Bauchi state has eight LGAs that have attained LGA-Wide Open Defecation Free (ODF) status with Katagum being the latest. Three others are close to achieving similar feat, and requiring the government’s support before the end of 2024.” 

He also stated that, “It is hoped that the implementation of the guidelines will ease the process of state-wide ODF attainment and sustenance.”

While appreciating the efforts of the state government and partners, “I assure you of UNICEF’s continued collaboration with the government; development partners; non-governmental organizations; and communities, to ensure the fulfillment of the rights of children and women in Bauchi State, and in Nigeria,” Tushar Rane stated further.

He then explained that the occasion was to develop Climate-Resilient Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) Strategy and Operative Guidelines for Bauchi State organized by the Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) and the Bauchi State Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) with the generous support of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). 

He added that the gathering brought together experts to define effective approaches for faecal sludge evacuation to promote clean environment for healthy living in Bauchi State. 

Declaring the workshop opened, the State Commissioner of Housing and Environment, Rt Hon Danlami Ahmed Kawule thanked UNICEF for the technical support which led to the State being among the four that recently attended the National Safely Managed Sanitation Workshop (SMS).

He stressed that the selection of Bauchi State has not come to the government as a surprise, especially looking at the enabling environment and excellent leadership provided by the governor, Senator Bala Mohammed across all sectors of human endeavour.

The commissioner added that the Ministry of Housing and Environment and BASEPA are appreciative of the governor’s tireless contributions, particularly in supporting all environmental projects and programmes in the state.

Kawule stressed that fecal sludge management starts from the storage, collection, transport, treatment, and safe end use or disposal of fecal sludge added that collectively, the collection, transport, treatment, and end use or reuse of excreta constitute the “value chain” of fecal sludge management.

According to him, “I’m sure you will all agree with me, that fecal sludge management has been very poor in most of our states. But the story is now changing in Bauchi State.”

He stated that BASEPA, as a regulating Agency under the Ministry of Environment is doing good work by formalizing all the key actors along the fecal sludge value chain in the state.

He added that the agency has come up with Draft Guidelines for Faecal Sludge Management, and organise a series of capacity-building workshops for fecal sludge manual and mechanised emptiers across the state.

The commissioner further said, “The Ministry as a policy formulation body, will continue to support BASEPA, RUWASA, and all relevant stakeholders to achieve the overall goal of FSM which is the protection of public and environmental health.

“Allow me to appeal to all the stakeholders that are here to continue working within their communities, specifically to encourage neighbours, friends, and workmates to understand the role they can play in protecting the environment and conservation of natural resources. This should not just be today but our way of life every day,” he stressed.

Kawule concluded saying,” Let me once more appreciate the support we received from various partners. In particular, UNICEF engaged an International Consultant to perfect the Bauchi State Strategy Development for Faecal Sludge Management Guidelines.

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of BASEPA, Dr Mahmood Bose, said that it was the third time such a workshop was coming up to ensure that all issues around the sludge fecal management were resolved.

He added that in the past, there had been capacity building by UNICEF, WaterAid Nigeria, and other partners to ensure that people really become aware of proper sludge fecal management and disposal.

The BASEPA DG explained that it is a multisectoral approach to ensure that no relevant agency was left out in the formulation of the guidelines to achieve the set objectives.