83 percent of schools in Nigeria ‘lack water supply, improved sanitation’

A recent study by the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says only two out of every 10 schools in Nigeria have basic water supply and functioning sanitary services.

Zaid Jurji, chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), said this at a media dialogue organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the ministry of information in collaboration with UNICEF.

The collaboration is part of efforts to addressed the challenges of poor water supply and hygiene in the country.

Jurji said the remaining schools could not access functional improved water source and usable improved toilet all times during the school day.

An investigation by TheCable in July had revealed how three students of Queen’s College, Lagos, died from a gastroenteritis epidemic resulting from contaminated water sources.

Jurji expressed the need to step up the provision of social amenities such as toilets and water so as to promote hygiene and prevent diseases and avoidable death of children.

He further said only 37 percent of the health facilities in the country have at least one usable toilet for the patients while the remaining 63 percent lack toilet.

He said any improvement that Nigeria makes on water, sanitation and hygiene will make a good impression on the African continent,  given the population of Nigeria and other factors.

He also noted the need to maintain existing water facilities across the country.

“Water systems need to be sustainable so they can serve communities for a long time” Jurji said.