By TheInvestigator
The certification exercise for 207 communities in Ogoja Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River State that have claimed to have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status officially commenced today, marking a significant milestone in the fight against poor sanitation and neglected tropical diseases in the region.
The exercise is part of the ongoing Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Programme under the Neglected Tropical Diseases/WASH initiative, jointly implemented by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA) and supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The certification team from the State Task Group on WASH (STG-WASH) is led by Engr Kanu Eni, Director of Water Supply and Quality Control at the State Ministry of Water Resources. This was necessitated by State RUWATSSA having completed their mandatory 25% level verification of the ODF claim by the communities and to give technical support.
According to a formal invitation issued by the General Manager of RUWATSSA, Hon Oko Sunday Ebeku, the weeklong certification process will run from July 21 to July 29, 2025. Activities include a planning meeting held today at the Ogoja LGA Council Headquarters, followed by six days of field verification across the 207 communities and a final debriefing session with the LGA WASH team.
The Ogoja WASH Department, which conducted preliminary monitoring and verification in line with national ODF protocols, reported that the communities met all required indicators for ODF status.
In a statement, Hon Ebeku expressed gratitude to the partners involved and emphasised the importance of the exercise in improving community health and well-being.
The exercise underscores the Cross River State government’s commitment to the Federal Government’s roadmap to end open defecation by 2030, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.
