By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
A leader of Dadin Kowa Community in Dass LGA of Bauchi State, Mr. Ayuba Limbo recalled that before the intervention that led to attained the status of open defecation free (ODF), the area was traumatized by many social problems.
Such problems, according to the leader, include the rampant open defecation exhibited by both adults and children, an ugly scenario that hitherto promote the spread of communicable diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, and cholera, among others.
Mr. Ayuba Limbo enumerated other problems in the community before the intervention that include inadequate drinking water which subject school children roam about in search of water, thereby losing class lessons leading to backwardness in the quest for education.
Limbo, in an opinion survey conducted in Dadin Kowa community of Dass LGA, said however that with the intervention by UNICEF implemented Sanitation, Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) project and Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), there have been water points within a radius of every 500 meters across the LGA.
“Before the intervention, our women could not control themselves during mensuration, but now they were fully educated on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), you can now seat near your wife without sensing any odor from her body”, he said.
The community leader explained that the provision of water facilities and conveniences in public institutions and places under the intervention project has significantly promoted hygiene within in Dass LGA of the state.
Also speaking, a housewife, Larai Dauda expressed delight with the Bauchi state government and UNICEF for the intervention in Dass LGA, especially the sanitation aspect that made their surroundings clean and tidy.
A Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Committee (WASHCOM) member in the Dadin Kowa community of Dass LGA, Mr. Luka Peter said that they taxed themselves to construct latrines in their respective households, and used to embark on communal work to keep their environment clean.
“We use to tax ourselves through ADASHE to construct latrines in our houses, one after the other and gradually provided each household with latrine, and the same thing apply to Mosques and Churches”.
Mr. Luka Peter disclosed that they also constructed two toilets within the community for visitors and passers-on to ease themselves as part of the efforts to sustain the ODF status of the community.
It could be recalled that the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu had on Monday, March 5, 2018 declared Dass LGA in Bauchi state open defecation free (ODF), the first LGA under the FGB/UNICEF intervention, and second in Nigeria to became LGA-Wide ODF after Obaniku LGA in Cross Rivers State.
