From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
A national study group has rated only seven states in Nigeria clean while 30 states are swimming in dirty environments.
According to the National Technical Study Group for Nation’s Cleanliness Performance Index Ratings, the clean states include Akwa Ibom, Abuja, Cross River, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Lagos and Kaduna who scored above 15 per cent out of the 30 per cent on the streets/roads cleanliness indicators.
The report wondered why Nigeria with an estimated population of 270 million people overtake India with a population of 1.4 billion people (a country that has a total world population of 17.7 per cent) ranking second to China with a population of 1.6 billion people to become the country with the highest ranking in open defecation.
“Performance indicators from our studies show that over 172.7 million Nigerians in 2021 are living in unclean environment, compared to 170 million in 2020” it said.
In the study, only four states in the country namely Lagos, Oyo, Abuja and Bauchi have sanitary landfills, while the remaining 33 states operate open dumping.
“This development is not only alarming but calls for urgent intervention in addressing the menace.
“On personal hygiene and sanitation only three states (Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Abuja City) scored above 3 per cent of the 10 per cent and can be said to come close to possession of good personal hygiene/sanitation practices in the country
“On the average, only four states (Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Kaduna and Bauchi) can be considered to be clean having scored above 40 per cent respectively.
“As observed from our satellite imagery 95 per cent of the states/towns in the country recorded poor performance under the five variables, in our performance indicators (street/road cleanliness, vegetation control/distilting, waste management services, public opinion pool and knowledge and attitude and practice of hygiene and sanitation). Except states like Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Kaduna including Abuja metropolis however stepped up their environmental activities during the period under review (2021)” he said.