Osun community to attain open defecation free status
The Ifedayo local government, Osun State, is on the verge of clinching the Open Defecation-Free status following concerted efforts by the people in the locality to end the practice of open defecation. As part of the procedures for the confirmation, the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) visited the communities under the local government to […]
The Ifedayo local government, Osun State, is on the verge of clinching the Open Defecation-Free status following concerted efforts by the people in the locality to end the practice of open defecation.
As part of the procedures for the confirmation, the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) visited the communities under the local government to inspect their open defecation status.
The leader of the NTGS team, Ukaegbu Berthy, a Principal Scientific Officer in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, said the people of the local government had demonstrated total commitment to end open defecation.
According to Berthy, “During our visit to Ifedayo local government, we observed that children were in school and the health centres were empty, an indication that the people of the local government were enjoying good health.”
A UNICEF water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist, Mr Ekhator Jonathan, commended the state for developing a work plan to make the whole state open defecation-free.
The General Manager, Osun State Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA), Mr Demola Olanrewaju, expressed the commitment of the state governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, to making the state open defecation-free.
The Chairman, Ifedayo local government, Idowu Abiodun, said the people of the locality had resolved to sustain the tempo on remaining open defecation-free.
Abiodun said the people had overcome the challenge of illiteracy, which he said was largely responsible for the practice in the local government in the past.
He added that the local government had put mechanisms in place to discourage the practice, and had educated landlords to build toilets in their houses.