Kwara Govt Urges Local Councils to Intensify Efforts Against Open Defecation
The Kwara state government has urged local government chairmen and council officers to take decisive action in eradicating open defecation within their domains, emphasizing the importance of public health and environmental hygiene.
The call was made by the State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade Yinusa, at a Day Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Stakeholders Engagement Meeting held in Ilorin. The meeting brought together local government chairmen and their directors of personnel and management to discuss the critical issue of open defecation eradication in the state.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Christiana Omolola Ashonibare, Yinusa highlighted the state government’s ongoing efforts, which include various programs and sensitization initiatives aimed at achieving a healthier Kwara. She reassured that the government remains committed to addressing public health challenges and will leave no stone unturned in its pursuit of a cleaner, healthier environment.
In his remarks, the General Manager of the Kwara State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Mr. Olorunfemi Oladipo, commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for prioritizing public health. Oladipo emphasized that the meeting was crucial for discussing issues affecting public health, dignity, and sustainable development.
Mr. Oladipo outlined the agency’s efforts to combat open defecation, which include partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and other development partners. Key initiatives include the Community-led Total Sanitation program, the provision of smart toilets, monitoring and evaluation of sanitation efforts, and funding support for critical communities.
He further stated that RUWASSA’s interventions had led to six communities in Oke Ero Local Government being certified open defecation-free. The agency continues to work towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by expanding sanitation infrastructure, promoting behavioral change, enforcing policies and regulations, and fostering sustainability through partnerships.
Professor Henry Olawale, a resource person at the event, praised the state’s achievements, particularly in the UNICEF rankings, which he attributed to the Governor’s leadership and the concerted efforts of relevant agencies.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminah Ahmed El-Iman, represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacist Barakat Olanrewaju, also spoke at the meeting. She emphasized that open defecation remains a serious public health, environmental, and socio-economic challenge. She called for the establishment of WASH departments at local government levels and urged local government chairmen to take charge in tackling the menace.
According to UNICEF, over 120 million people in West and Central Africa practice open defecation, with Nigeria ranking second globally, with 47 million people affected.
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