The Kwara State Government has opened up windows for dialogue, collaboration and support with all partners towards putting an end to open defecation in the state within the shortest possible time.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir dropped the hint while welcoming the Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat team from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who paid her an advocacy visit in her office.
The Commissioner reiterated that the launching of the Clean Nigeria Campaign was not a rush.
She stressed that it requires all hands to be on deck to strengthen all the enablements and further empower the campaign on open defecation.
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Speaking during the visit, the National Coordinator, Clean Nigeria Campaign and leader of the team, Mrs Opara Chizoma, represented by the Deputy National Coordinator, Mr Musa Lawal applauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his efforts and support to drive the campaign to end open defecation in the State.
“You will recall that the Clean Nigeria Campaign was launched in 2019 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“This was in response to Nigeria’s unfortunate position as the second country with the highest number of people practising open defecation globally, estimated at 48 million persons according to the 2021 WASH NORM Report, while access to sanitation in Kwara State was 31% and 50% of her population still practice open defecation“, the Coordinator noted.
The campaign, according to her, is aimed at mobilizing high-level political support, resources and the entire populace towards building a new culture of good sanitation practices in Nigeria.
Support
Mrs Chizoma solicited the support of the state government to hasten up the implementation of the policy in our communities which had already commenced in Moro Local Government Area.
The primary aim of eliminating open defecation, she said, is to reduce WASH associated diseases and burden in order to ensure dignified lives for the people of Moro and the generality of Kwarans.
She urged citizens of the state to contribute their quotas and support to ensure that Kwara State becomes open-defecation-free by the year 2025.
Earlier, the General Manager, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Mr Olorunfemi Oladipo said the construction of five simple smart toilets in markets, motor parks and other public places is ongoing and being implemented across the five districts of Moro Local Government Area.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed encouraged everyone to take the campaign to the rural areas in order to eradicate open defecation in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Abubakar Ayinla, who alluded to the concept that people are safe and prevented from unpreventable diseases, assured that all public toilets in government hospitals will be put in good order.
Emmanuel Ukoh
