National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) is a stakeholders forum that is concerned with the coordination of water and sanitation activities Nationally in Nigeria. The Task group will focus on the attainment the SDG:-6 to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. Through the adoption of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)to improve and increased access to water and sanitation and enhance behaviourial change to stop Open Defecation in Urban, Peri-Urban and Rural areas to achieve the result at States and Local Government levels.

The National Task Group on Sanitation-(NTGS) major concern is the improved provision of water,sanitation and hygiene service delivery in the country through the adoption of appropriate tools for the achievement of the expected goals. Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) has been adopted by most stakeholders for the attainment of water ,sanitation and hygiene goal in the country but CLTS is mostly adopted for rural communities while CLTS could be backed up with other strategies to achieve the expected result in the Peri urban and urban areas to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) communities. The implementation of CLTS also ensures that attention is given to public places and public institutions to ensure the attainment Open Defecation Freed (ODF).

• A capacity needs assessment is carried out to determine the appropriate skills, experience and tools necessary to carried the activities . This is later followed by carrying out Capacity building for both the institutions and personnel that are concerned with carrying out the activities from time to time. The forum ensure that appropriate and adequate trainings are given to the personnel that are involved with the implementation process to ensure that they are adequately equipped with appropriate skills and experience to deliver the required services to the target communities. The personnel are trained on the use of the appropriate tools that are necessary to engage the various communities to also ensure their voluntary participation and buy in to ensure compliance with the necessary guidelines and procedures.• Arrangements are also made to provide necessary basic equipment that will enhance the work and efforts at both community and institutional levels.• The Community WASH Committee members, the WASHCOM are also trained on how to manage that activities of their various communities and households and also carry out regular follow up as well as working with the Local Government Authority WASH officials or Non-Governmental Organisations officials. Those who are responsible to carry out follow up and monitoring are also trained to carry out their activities accordingly until the communities achieve the expected objective.

• The National Task Group on Sanitation-(NTGS) serves as a coordinating body for water sanitation and hygiene activities at the National level in Nigeria with each member having equal status, the Federal Ministry of Water Resource serves at the secretariat and coordinates the activities of the Task Group on behalf of other stakeholders. The NTGS is focused on the SDG-Goal:6 and using it as a guide to play its roles which are mostly advisory and also carries out advocacy role to key partners and authorities to solicit their support and buy in into issues that could enhance the improvement of water ,sanitation and hygiene service delivery at national, state and local government levels. The importance of the SDG-Goal:6 can never be over emphasised as it serves as gate-way to the attainment of about 9 other SDGs. Such as, SDGs 1,2,3,4,5,9,10,11,13,14 and 15. Based on its important position, the NTSG which is a stakeholders forum can coopt other stakeholders into the Task Group for the purpose of enhancing its resource base to address the identified threats to sustainable development. NTGS meets monthly to deliberate on issues affecting successful implementation of water and sanitation activities in the country. The NTGS is also concerned about how to improve and increased access to water and sanitation and enhance behaviourial change to stop Open Defecation across the country including Urban, Peri-Urban and Rural areas through the use of Community Led Total Sanitation as the tool to achieve the result, States and Local Government levels have their respective task groups .NTGS helps to drive the process of ensuring good governance in the WASH sector through its advocacy for the enactment of appropriate laws and policies to enhance the improvement of the sector in line with global standard and best practices until water and sanitation availability and sustainable management is attained. There is an internal follow up mechanism carried out by the WASHCOMs to ensure compliance and correct erros within the households in the communities. There is also a regular follow up and monitoring by the local government WASH section staff or implementing NGOs until the community attains Open Defecation Free Status.The state Level monitoring is also carried out by the state WASH agency or State Task Group on Sanitation while the NTGS carries out Validation to confirm the report of the improved water and sanitation practices to ensure quality assurance.

FEDERAL MINISTERY OF WATER RESOURCE, SOCIETY FOR WATER AND SANITATION(NEWSAN), FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION,FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH,FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF LAND, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HOUSING, WORKS AND POWER, UNICEF, NATIONAL ORIENTATION AGENCY, EUROPEAN UNION, WATERAID, NATIONAL ORIENTATION AGENCY WASH MEDIA, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIR AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT