David Alaba, Nigeria’s international football sensation, delivered on the SDG 6 by building and commissioning an ultra-modern toilet facility.
Today, the 15th of September, 2022, Mr David Alaba, the football sensation born to a Nigerian father, Prince George Alaba, made good his promise.
He delivered an ultra-modern toilet facility to the people of Ogere Remo Community in Ogun State of Nigeria.
This gesture is to support the Federal Goverment initiative to make the country open defecation-free by the year 2025.
Presently, Nigeria is ranked Number One on the list countries that practices open defecation in the world.
The ultra-modern toilet facility is a project that was facilitated by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) under the leadership of Honourable Abike Dabiri Erewa.
The NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive had called on Nigerians in Diaspora to key into the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-lead project, “Clean Nigeria”, a campaign which should help to making Nigeria open defecation-free by 2025.
Professor Osinbajo planned to achieve this with the involvement of the private sector.
Prominent among them is the Organized Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (OPSWASH) which is championing the initiative.
The public-private sector collaboration is already yielding the expected results.
The ultra-modern toilet facility, located at Kara Market in Ogere Remo, Ikene Local Government Area of Ogun State which, coincidentally, is the hometown of David Alaba’s father comprises of four units of toilet each for both male and female.
The facility has many facilities, including washing facilities and running water, among others.
The toilet facility built by David Alaba is in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SSG) Number Six.
The project, which value was put at N15.3 million, was, on Thursday, declared open by the Honourable Minister of Water Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Engineer Suleiman H. Adamu FNSE.
The minister was joined by the Ogun State Commissioner for Special duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Honourable Olufemi Ilori Oduntan.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of OPSWASH, Dr Nicholas Igwe, thanked President Muhammad Buhari for his support and leadership in making the project a reality.
He also expressed gratitude to the president for offering to host the next World toilet conference in Nigeria.
Dr Igwe thanked the Minister of Water Resources his support and for being physically present to commission the project.
The OPSWASH national coordinator appreciated the support of Honourable Abike Dabiri Erewa and NiDCOM in making the project a reality.
He was also full of praise for the people of the community for their support and cooperation.
Dr Igwe said it is not always easy to work so smoothly in other communities as the locals would keep demanding for money to allow the engaged contractors carryout their work.
Finally, he thanked the David Alaba Foundation and Mr David Alaba for his generosity.
He prayed for God’s protection and blessings over him and his family.
The OPSWASH national coordinator also thanked Engineer Oluyemi Ogundele, who initiated the project and doubled as David Alaba Foundation’s representative, for his patience and good work.
The Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was unavoidable absent was represented by NiDCOM Lagos office representative Mr ‘Dipo Odebowale.
In her message, she thanked President Buhari and the Minister of Water Resources Engineer Adamu for the initiative which is in line with the United Nations SDG Number 6.
She noted that the project is aimed at making our dear country open defecation -free by the year 2025.
She also thanked OPSWASH and all other actors who made the project a reality.
Honourable Dabiri Erewa applauded Mr David Alaba for his generosity, pray to Almighty Allah to grant him good health and wish him a very successful 2022/23 football season.
The planned virtual participation in the event was not possible due to connectivity issues.
However, Mr David Alaba and his father, Prince George Alaba, who were on the zoom waiting to be connected to the live event were thankful to God Almighty.
Father and son were full of praises for the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for providing them with the opportunity to contribute their own quota to the laudable initiative.
David Alaba also thanked the Ogun State government, Ikene Local Hovernment Authority, OPSWASH, NiDCOM, Ecobank and many others who made the project a reality.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia, His Excellency Ambassador Dr Suleiman Dauda Umar, commended Mr David Alaba for his generosity.
He also encouraged others to emulate the football sensation by supporting the Federal Government. He noted that the Federal Government alone cannot do everything.
•Engineer Ogundele, representative of the David Alaba Foundation, is based in Vienna, Austria.
