The Cross River State Government has commenced a comprehensive certification exercise for 207 communities in Ogoja Local Government Area, following claims that they have attained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.

The exercise, which began on Monday, marks a critical step in improving sanitation and curbing the spread of neglected tropical diseases in the region.

The certification process is part of the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) initiative, which falls under the broader Neglected Tropical Diseases/WASH programme. This initiative is jointly implemented by the State’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA) with support from UNICEF.

It also reinforces Cross River State’s commitment to the Federal Government’s national goal of eradicating open defecation by 2030.

Leading the certification team is Engr. Kanu Eni, Director of Water Supply and Quality Control at the State Ministry of Water Resources, alongside members of the State Task Group on WASH.

The team embarked on the exercise after completing a mandatory 25% verification of the ODF claims by the communities.
According to a formal communication from RUWATSSA’s General Manager, Hon. Oko Sunday Ebeku, the certification exercise will run from July 21 to July 29, 2025.

The process began with a planning session at the Ogoja LGA Council Headquarters, followed by six days of field assessments across all 207 communities. A final debrief with the LGA WASH team is scheduled at the end of the verification.

Preliminary checks by the Ogoja WASH Department, which adhered to the national ODF protocol, indicated that the communities have met the essential criteria for certification.

Speaking on behalf of RUWATSSA, Hon. Inaku Ebeku thanked development partners for their support and emphasised the importance of the certification exercise in enhancing public health outcomes.

He noted that the initiative aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which advocates for clean water and sanitation for all, further reflecting the state government’s commitment to ending open defecation by 2030.