The Clean Nigerian: Use the Toilet Campaign recently orchestrated a two-day symposium aimed at fortifying the implementation of Sanitation and Hygiene initiatives in Imo State. Spearheaded by Imo State SURWASH, the event transpired on the 6th and 7th of June 2024. National Coordinator, Mrs. CN Opara, and the erudite Scientific Officer on Sanitation and Hygiene, Mrs. Chinyere Okolo from FMWR, accentuated the imperative to augment sanitation and hygiene protocols to combat open defecation and elevate the benchmarks toward attaining an open defecation-free (ODF) status in the State.

In the midst of the proceedings, the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) and implementing agencies ISWSC, RUWASSA, and ISSTOWA proffered elucidation on their strides thus far, as delineated in the Work Plan for SURWASH. A meticulous evaluation was conducted across various facets encompassing the overview of the SURWASH program, the Clean Nigerian Campaign (CNC) Work Plan, sanitation-related quandaries, and the formulation of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) template indicators, all concerted towards the actualization of the program’s objectives.

Moreover, the national coordinator underscored the pivotal role of advocacy and communication in ameliorating sanitation and hygiene standards to accomplish an ODF status. WASH Coordinators and sundry stakeholders actively engaged, attaining a holistic comprehension of the stratagems requisite to combat open defecation in the state.

In summation, Engr. Chizoba Udegbe, the PC on SURWASH, Esteemed Managing Director Engr. Peter Chukwuma of ISWSC, and the Respected Managing Director Mr. Chika Edom of RUWASSA, extolled the Clean Nigerian: Use the Toilet Campaign for its impactful endeavors. They pledged unwavering commitment to execute all requisite endeavors to propel the standards of sanitation and hygiene in the state towards realizing an ODF status. The program culminated on a triumphant note, culminating in a collective photograph for subsequent verification and archival purposes pertaining to the implementation of sanitation and hygiene protocols in the state.

Uzoamaka Odom
Communication Officer