Gusau — The habit of open defecation has been eliminated in 114 communities in Zamfara State following the implementation of Sanitation, Hygiene and Water in Nigeria SHAWN II project, the UNICEF Wash Officer Mr Ebri Eteng Ibor has said.

Speaking during the handing over of Toyota vehicles to 3 SHAWN II participating LGAs of Birnin Magaji, Talata Mafara and Tsafe, Mr Ibor said the the success recorded was as result of community led total sanitation implemented in 176 communities in 2015 and the communities were certified as Open Defecation Free ones.

He said the project was implemented by Zamfara State, DFID and UNICEF as 36,053 were provided with access to safe water from the rehabilitation of 80 boreholes adding that another rehabilitation of 60 boreholes was ongoing targeting 27,000 additional people.

Mr Ibor further explained that the total projected access to safe water in the three participating local governments is 117,000 and 4 Toyota Hilux vans, six motor bikes,six computers and cameras were allocated to the local governments and RUWATSAN.

In his address the Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Alhaji Lawali M. Liman, said the ministry has commenced the release N250,000 operational funds on monthly basis for the implementation of SHAWN II project.

He added that a plan is under way to procure the construction of 33 units of complete sanitation facilities and provision of 18 new hand pump boreholes in 15 primary schools and three health centres.

"It is a common knowledge that UNICEF water projects have indeed aided our people to acccess clean potable water, made them less vulnerable to water borne diseases and enhanced their economic productivity in particular and their well being in general," he said.