Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The Yobe State Government is partnering with the African Development Bank, AfDB, to construct 432 latrines in schools and other public places across the 17 local government areas of the state to further boost sanitation.

The program manager of AfDB in the state, Musa Haruna, told journalists during a briefing in Damaturu, the state capital, that open defecation is such a common practice among the people and comes with a lot of health hazards like cholera, and diarrhea among children.

He said the program is therefore aimed at discouraging some of these practices and invariably reducing the health hazards associated with it.

According to him, the project which costs N620million will be executed in phases.

“252 blocks of latrines comprising of 760 compartments has already been awarded in 10 LGAs, while the remaining 180 for the remaining 7 LGAs will soon be advertised for prospective contractors,” he said.

Haruna also who used the medium to call on the people of the state to take ownership of the projects after completion so as to ensure that they are maintained.

He also disclosed that the AfDB is intervening in over 1000 communities across the state in the area of Water Supply through the drilling of motorized boreholes, concrete lined hand-dug wells, and solar powered boreholes.