The Federal Government, yesterday, admitted that its initial set target to make the country Open Defecation-Free (ODF) this year is no longer feasible. The Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, therefore, disclosed that a new deadline has been set for 2030.
 
 At a two-day workshop in Nasarawa State, organised by the ministry, in collaboration with Self Help Africa, the government, as part of efforts to attain the new target date, deepened its partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to enhance community sanitation practices.  
   
The workshop brought together Community Development Service (CDS) focal officers from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to mobilise corps members in driving the Clean Nigeria Campaign.
   
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Richard Pheelangwah, represented by Director of Reforms, Moses Madugu, highlighted the scale of the problem, with over 48 million Nigerians still defecating in the open.  
   
According to him, while commendable progress has been made, as 136 local councils and Jigawa State have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), Pheelangwah acknowledged that the pace of progress was slow.

He stated, “Open defecation has severe health, environmental and economic consequences. Although we’ve seen significant strides, we must redouble our efforts to meet our revised target of eradicating this menace by 2030.”

The permanent secretary outlined ongoing initiatives, such as the Partnership for Expanded Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH), and the YouthWASH programme, which aims to leverage NYSC members to promote sanitation practices at the grassroots level.