The Jigawa government says it has expended N500 million on the provision of improved latrines in schools, hospitals, markets and motor parks across the state.

The Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Ibrahim Hannungiwa, said this on Wednesday in Dutse.

He said the government had adopted proactive measures to ensure the sustainability of its leading position as an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state.

According to Hannungiwa, the state is geared towards surpassing the nation’s ODF target by 2025.

Hannungiwa said the feat was achieved by putting a lot of effort into the execution of viable policies and programmes in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The Commissioner said the state had set up a committee to work out modalities for the sustainability of its ODF status by ensuring total eradication of the menace.

“Under this committee, more standard public services would be provided at public places and along highways in the state.

“The state government has done a lot in the area of public enlightenment on the importance of using toilets, especially in rural communities.

“Jigawa State is the first and only state so far declared open defecation-free in the country by UNICEF,” he said, adding that the UN Agency appointed the state governor, Umar Namadi, as ODF Ambassador.

He said the governor is expected to deliver a paper on the Nigerian situation in the fight against the ODF at a conference billed to take place in Canada.